ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

90
ICY SCIENCE PUBLICATION: WWW.ICYSCIENCE.COM: WINTER 2013/14 SPRING 2014

description

Icy Science e-magazine is a free Astronomy, Science & Space digital magazine. In this edition we look at Saturn and two of its moons, Enceladus an icy world with a possible large body of liquid water under its susrface and Titan where a liquid flows on its surace. We look at evolution and gravitational waves.

Transcript of ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

Page 1: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

ICY SCIENCE PUBLICATION WWWICYSCIENCECOM WINTER 201314

SPRING 2014

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Writers This MonthAlastair leith

Julian Onions

David Bood

Zantippy Skiphop

Henna Khan

Joolz Wright

Dan Lucs

J L Kennedy

Image Left Mike Greenham

WELCOME

Spring is here again and it is time for another edition of Icy Science

digital magazine The magazine is a free community based EZine

Articles are written by people with a keen interest in science and

the natural world This month our main feature is Saturn looking

at the planet itself and two of its main moons Titan and Enceladus

We also have a feature on Evolution the evidence for Darwins evo-

lution is now overwhelming More evidence for the Big Bang with

a look at gravitational waves For those who enjoy a spot of pho-

tography Joolz Wright looks at cloudbows and included are stun-

ning images

Finally this edition is more interative with links and yes playing video

Take a look aroung the Tring Astronomy Centre just run your mouse

over the image and click However you must view in Adobe Arobat

Reader to get the full interative experienceThere is also a story for

younger readers So enjoy

Editor Dave Bood

ContactE dboodicysciencecom

TWITTER DavesAstronomyW wwwicysciencecom

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In This Edition6 Planetarium

9 Equations for Telescopes

16 In Saturns Rings

18 Saturn The Ring Bearer

29 A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic Mole

45 Titan

50 Interview with Valerie Klavans

60 Evolution

71 Chasing Cloudbows

78 The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

82 Fuzzballs Kids Corner

P 29

P 50

P 78

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

If there was an ideal way to get kids to see the stars no matter what the weather a mobile planetarium is a must

in my honest opinion

Over the years they have been used increasingly by outreach events as a means of inspiring children and indeed

the more mature into science I have

delivered a fair few of these shows

now to schools and public events

though without doubt it is hard

work organisating batches of up to

30 adults and children to come and

sit into what I suppose amounts to

and indeed looks like an inflatable

igloo to sit on the floor staring at

the wall

Twitter alstronomy

Alstronomy facebook page

wwwnorthampton-planetariumcouk powered by Immersive Theatres

Alastair Leith

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

I must admit that from the moment they see the dome from the outside (many believing itrsquos a bouncy

castle) to when you give them the talk on how to enter the dome (makes it look like you are swimming)

down to instructions on how and where to sit You have them in a trance

Sitting in a dark room with either a space picture of project of stars over their heads ignites curiousity and

the feeling of expection straight off (you donrsquot know what Is going to happen) As a general rule I try to use

a nice NASA space picture sometimes of the Earth as a means of at least providing some light for when

people enter the dome IF pitch black they cannot easily see where they are going

You try to advise them too that there is expensive equipment as they enter To be honest you could buy a

singing and dancing brand new family car for the cost of the setup

That said though the Moment the

Planetarium software fires up and

those stars are on the dome and

start moving the wow factor starts

to kicking in

Starting with the rotation of the

sky to show how the sky would

look that night and whats up in

the night sky

Begin then a tour of some of the

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

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Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

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My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

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a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

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julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

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Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

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OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

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How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

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In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

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Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

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Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

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A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

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The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

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its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 2: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

2

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

3

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Writers This MonthAlastair leith

Julian Onions

David Bood

Zantippy Skiphop

Henna Khan

Joolz Wright

Dan Lucs

J L Kennedy

Image Left Mike Greenham

WELCOME

Spring is here again and it is time for another edition of Icy Science

digital magazine The magazine is a free community based EZine

Articles are written by people with a keen interest in science and

the natural world This month our main feature is Saturn looking

at the planet itself and two of its main moons Titan and Enceladus

We also have a feature on Evolution the evidence for Darwins evo-

lution is now overwhelming More evidence for the Big Bang with

a look at gravitational waves For those who enjoy a spot of pho-

tography Joolz Wright looks at cloudbows and included are stun-

ning images

Finally this edition is more interative with links and yes playing video

Take a look aroung the Tring Astronomy Centre just run your mouse

over the image and click However you must view in Adobe Arobat

Reader to get the full interative experienceThere is also a story for

younger readers So enjoy

Editor Dave Bood

ContactE dboodicysciencecom

TWITTER DavesAstronomyW wwwicysciencecom

4

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In This Edition6 Planetarium

9 Equations for Telescopes

16 In Saturns Rings

18 Saturn The Ring Bearer

29 A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic Mole

45 Titan

50 Interview with Valerie Klavans

60 Evolution

71 Chasing Cloudbows

78 The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

82 Fuzzballs Kids Corner

P 29

P 50

P 78

5

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

6

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

If there was an ideal way to get kids to see the stars no matter what the weather a mobile planetarium is a must

in my honest opinion

Over the years they have been used increasingly by outreach events as a means of inspiring children and indeed

the more mature into science I have

delivered a fair few of these shows

now to schools and public events

though without doubt it is hard

work organisating batches of up to

30 adults and children to come and

sit into what I suppose amounts to

and indeed looks like an inflatable

igloo to sit on the floor staring at

the wall

Twitter alstronomy

Alstronomy facebook page

wwwnorthampton-planetariumcouk powered by Immersive Theatres

Alastair Leith

7

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

I must admit that from the moment they see the dome from the outside (many believing itrsquos a bouncy

castle) to when you give them the talk on how to enter the dome (makes it look like you are swimming)

down to instructions on how and where to sit You have them in a trance

Sitting in a dark room with either a space picture of project of stars over their heads ignites curiousity and

the feeling of expection straight off (you donrsquot know what Is going to happen) As a general rule I try to use

a nice NASA space picture sometimes of the Earth as a means of at least providing some light for when

people enter the dome IF pitch black they cannot easily see where they are going

You try to advise them too that there is expensive equipment as they enter To be honest you could buy a

singing and dancing brand new family car for the cost of the setup

That said though the Moment the

Planetarium software fires up and

those stars are on the dome and

start moving the wow factor starts

to kicking in

Starting with the rotation of the

sky to show how the sky would

look that night and whats up in

the night sky

Begin then a tour of some of the

8

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 3: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

3

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Writers This MonthAlastair leith

Julian Onions

David Bood

Zantippy Skiphop

Henna Khan

Joolz Wright

Dan Lucs

J L Kennedy

Image Left Mike Greenham

WELCOME

Spring is here again and it is time for another edition of Icy Science

digital magazine The magazine is a free community based EZine

Articles are written by people with a keen interest in science and

the natural world This month our main feature is Saturn looking

at the planet itself and two of its main moons Titan and Enceladus

We also have a feature on Evolution the evidence for Darwins evo-

lution is now overwhelming More evidence for the Big Bang with

a look at gravitational waves For those who enjoy a spot of pho-

tography Joolz Wright looks at cloudbows and included are stun-

ning images

Finally this edition is more interative with links and yes playing video

Take a look aroung the Tring Astronomy Centre just run your mouse

over the image and click However you must view in Adobe Arobat

Reader to get the full interative experienceThere is also a story for

younger readers So enjoy

Editor Dave Bood

ContactE dboodicysciencecom

TWITTER DavesAstronomyW wwwicysciencecom

4

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In This Edition6 Planetarium

9 Equations for Telescopes

16 In Saturns Rings

18 Saturn The Ring Bearer

29 A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic Mole

45 Titan

50 Interview with Valerie Klavans

60 Evolution

71 Chasing Cloudbows

78 The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

82 Fuzzballs Kids Corner

P 29

P 50

P 78

5

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

6

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

If there was an ideal way to get kids to see the stars no matter what the weather a mobile planetarium is a must

in my honest opinion

Over the years they have been used increasingly by outreach events as a means of inspiring children and indeed

the more mature into science I have

delivered a fair few of these shows

now to schools and public events

though without doubt it is hard

work organisating batches of up to

30 adults and children to come and

sit into what I suppose amounts to

and indeed looks like an inflatable

igloo to sit on the floor staring at

the wall

Twitter alstronomy

Alstronomy facebook page

wwwnorthampton-planetariumcouk powered by Immersive Theatres

Alastair Leith

7

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

I must admit that from the moment they see the dome from the outside (many believing itrsquos a bouncy

castle) to when you give them the talk on how to enter the dome (makes it look like you are swimming)

down to instructions on how and where to sit You have them in a trance

Sitting in a dark room with either a space picture of project of stars over their heads ignites curiousity and

the feeling of expection straight off (you donrsquot know what Is going to happen) As a general rule I try to use

a nice NASA space picture sometimes of the Earth as a means of at least providing some light for when

people enter the dome IF pitch black they cannot easily see where they are going

You try to advise them too that there is expensive equipment as they enter To be honest you could buy a

singing and dancing brand new family car for the cost of the setup

That said though the Moment the

Planetarium software fires up and

those stars are on the dome and

start moving the wow factor starts

to kicking in

Starting with the rotation of the

sky to show how the sky would

look that night and whats up in

the night sky

Begin then a tour of some of the

8

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 4: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

4

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In This Edition6 Planetarium

9 Equations for Telescopes

16 In Saturns Rings

18 Saturn The Ring Bearer

29 A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic Mole

45 Titan

50 Interview with Valerie Klavans

60 Evolution

71 Chasing Cloudbows

78 The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

82 Fuzzballs Kids Corner

P 29

P 50

P 78

5

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

6

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

If there was an ideal way to get kids to see the stars no matter what the weather a mobile planetarium is a must

in my honest opinion

Over the years they have been used increasingly by outreach events as a means of inspiring children and indeed

the more mature into science I have

delivered a fair few of these shows

now to schools and public events

though without doubt it is hard

work organisating batches of up to

30 adults and children to come and

sit into what I suppose amounts to

and indeed looks like an inflatable

igloo to sit on the floor staring at

the wall

Twitter alstronomy

Alstronomy facebook page

wwwnorthampton-planetariumcouk powered by Immersive Theatres

Alastair Leith

7

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

I must admit that from the moment they see the dome from the outside (many believing itrsquos a bouncy

castle) to when you give them the talk on how to enter the dome (makes it look like you are swimming)

down to instructions on how and where to sit You have them in a trance

Sitting in a dark room with either a space picture of project of stars over their heads ignites curiousity and

the feeling of expection straight off (you donrsquot know what Is going to happen) As a general rule I try to use

a nice NASA space picture sometimes of the Earth as a means of at least providing some light for when

people enter the dome IF pitch black they cannot easily see where they are going

You try to advise them too that there is expensive equipment as they enter To be honest you could buy a

singing and dancing brand new family car for the cost of the setup

That said though the Moment the

Planetarium software fires up and

those stars are on the dome and

start moving the wow factor starts

to kicking in

Starting with the rotation of the

sky to show how the sky would

look that night and whats up in

the night sky

Begin then a tour of some of the

8

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 5: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

5

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

6

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

If there was an ideal way to get kids to see the stars no matter what the weather a mobile planetarium is a must

in my honest opinion

Over the years they have been used increasingly by outreach events as a means of inspiring children and indeed

the more mature into science I have

delivered a fair few of these shows

now to schools and public events

though without doubt it is hard

work organisating batches of up to

30 adults and children to come and

sit into what I suppose amounts to

and indeed looks like an inflatable

igloo to sit on the floor staring at

the wall

Twitter alstronomy

Alstronomy facebook page

wwwnorthampton-planetariumcouk powered by Immersive Theatres

Alastair Leith

7

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

I must admit that from the moment they see the dome from the outside (many believing itrsquos a bouncy

castle) to when you give them the talk on how to enter the dome (makes it look like you are swimming)

down to instructions on how and where to sit You have them in a trance

Sitting in a dark room with either a space picture of project of stars over their heads ignites curiousity and

the feeling of expection straight off (you donrsquot know what Is going to happen) As a general rule I try to use

a nice NASA space picture sometimes of the Earth as a means of at least providing some light for when

people enter the dome IF pitch black they cannot easily see where they are going

You try to advise them too that there is expensive equipment as they enter To be honest you could buy a

singing and dancing brand new family car for the cost of the setup

That said though the Moment the

Planetarium software fires up and

those stars are on the dome and

start moving the wow factor starts

to kicking in

Starting with the rotation of the

sky to show how the sky would

look that night and whats up in

the night sky

Begin then a tour of some of the

8

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 6: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

6

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

If there was an ideal way to get kids to see the stars no matter what the weather a mobile planetarium is a must

in my honest opinion

Over the years they have been used increasingly by outreach events as a means of inspiring children and indeed

the more mature into science I have

delivered a fair few of these shows

now to schools and public events

though without doubt it is hard

work organisating batches of up to

30 adults and children to come and

sit into what I suppose amounts to

and indeed looks like an inflatable

igloo to sit on the floor staring at

the wall

Twitter alstronomy

Alstronomy facebook page

wwwnorthampton-planetariumcouk powered by Immersive Theatres

Alastair Leith

7

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

I must admit that from the moment they see the dome from the outside (many believing itrsquos a bouncy

castle) to when you give them the talk on how to enter the dome (makes it look like you are swimming)

down to instructions on how and where to sit You have them in a trance

Sitting in a dark room with either a space picture of project of stars over their heads ignites curiousity and

the feeling of expection straight off (you donrsquot know what Is going to happen) As a general rule I try to use

a nice NASA space picture sometimes of the Earth as a means of at least providing some light for when

people enter the dome IF pitch black they cannot easily see where they are going

You try to advise them too that there is expensive equipment as they enter To be honest you could buy a

singing and dancing brand new family car for the cost of the setup

That said though the Moment the

Planetarium software fires up and

those stars are on the dome and

start moving the wow factor starts

to kicking in

Starting with the rotation of the

sky to show how the sky would

look that night and whats up in

the night sky

Begin then a tour of some of the

8

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 7: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

7

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

I must admit that from the moment they see the dome from the outside (many believing itrsquos a bouncy

castle) to when you give them the talk on how to enter the dome (makes it look like you are swimming)

down to instructions on how and where to sit You have them in a trance

Sitting in a dark room with either a space picture of project of stars over their heads ignites curiousity and

the feeling of expection straight off (you donrsquot know what Is going to happen) As a general rule I try to use

a nice NASA space picture sometimes of the Earth as a means of at least providing some light for when

people enter the dome IF pitch black they cannot easily see where they are going

You try to advise them too that there is expensive equipment as they enter To be honest you could buy a

singing and dancing brand new family car for the cost of the setup

That said though the Moment the

Planetarium software fires up and

those stars are on the dome and

start moving the wow factor starts

to kicking in

Starting with the rotation of the

sky to show how the sky would

look that night and whats up in

the night sky

Begin then a tour of some of the

8

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 8: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

8

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

objects and the planets that are passing through They simply love the wow factor

of the Zoom it to see up close the Planets You tell them it can take several years

to get there by space ship but we can zoom there in a few seconds and still have

them home in time for tea

You then play a movie for them where they get to see a story being told

I have never met a child yet who has not emerged from the show dazed gob-

smacked and hypnotised by what they have seen Many including adults want to

learn more see more For me as a presenter the job satisfaction and it is taxing

delivering one show after another for 8 straight hours But its worth it to see the

look on peoples faces You have had a part in inspiring the young and old alike

and what you have done for them will remain with them til the end That has to

be worth the stretch

By Alastair Leith FRAS

Alastair Leith is a professional corporate trainer adult education tutor and free-

lance planetarium presenter working with Immersive Theatres He has had a life-

long interested in astronomy He is also known for running the Online Astronomy

Society and the Academy

Image Left Stellarium

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 9: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

9

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Equations for telescopes

So what is the first thing a relative or friend will ask you when you

get a new telescope Oooh lovely how many times does it magnify

10x 100x 1000x Itrsquos a tricky question to answer as you probably

know because itrsquos well its not important really Well I mean it is

the purpose of a telescope is to make small things bigger after all

However itrsquos pretty easy to get it to magnify up to almost any power

you like by putting the right lens in

So the magnification is a straightforward equation Itrsquos the focal

length of the objective (thatrsquos the big lens or mirror) divided by the

focal length of the eyepiece

Now the eyepiece usually has it written on it I often use a 26mm eyepiece and my telescope has a 127mm

main mirror So I know f_ebut not f_o- but thatrsquos ok we can work it out The f-ratio of the telescope is the

focal length of the objective divided by the diameter of the objective So we can work that out

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 10: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

10

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

My telescope has an f-ratio of f15 - its written on

the tube so 127 x 15 means the focal length of the

objective is 1905 mm

Now where were we Oh yes magnification So

with a 26mm eyepiece I have 190526 = 73 So

I have 73x magnification If I put a 9mm lens in I

get 211x My smallest lens is a 64mm one which

would therefore give 298x magnification All well

and good but I rarely use this eyepiece and Irsquom

sure if you have similar you know why too You get

terrible results The focusing is dreadful balanced

on a knife edge The image is typically blurry and

when all is said and done a star looks like a dot

no matter how much you magnify it Interestingly I

know people with 200mm objectives much bigger

telescopes They have a focal length of 1000mm so

a 26mm lens on that would be 38x So bigger mirror

more impressive size less magnification Weird

I could get a 1 mm lens and have it magnify 1900x

- but it wouldnrsquot be worth bothering with You can

get any magnification you like just like you can blow

up a digital image to any size you like - but beyond

Above Airy disk - simulated credit wikipedia

Below Airy disk from a laser passing through a pin hole - Wikipedi

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 11: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

11

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

a certain size you start to see just pixels so there is no gain Yes you can magnify it a billion times but the

results will look horrible and the same is true of telescopes

So - there must be another limit wersquore hitting up against and anyway why do people want bigger tele-

scopes Theyrsquore always going on about the size of their mirrors but as wersquove seen it doesnrsquot really help

magnify things that much So why the lsquoaperture feverrsquo

The problem is that even with the best optics in the world and perfect ldquoseeingrdquo light does not focus down

to a single point even from a point source like a star What you actually get is a series of concentric circles

The middle is the bright and slightly fuzzy circular point but then there are rings expanding outwards and

So this is the limiting factor If wersquore trying to

look at fine detail wersquoll eventually find the two

disks overlap and what is two things blurs into

one Itrsquos caused by collision of light waves inter-

fering with each other as they enter the tele-

scope and are brought to a focus

So - can we do anything about it Well yes

we can - you probably knew that was coming

and you probably can guess at the answer The

formula for how big this circle is is given by

Airyrsquos formula

Airyrsquos formula

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 12: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

12

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

julianonions

Image Credit Mock

up of the E-ELT Mirror -

credit ESO

Article Words Julian Oniions

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 13: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

13

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Woah whatrsquos all that gibberish Well lets break it down a little and see itrsquos

not so hard

sinθ- well this is the sin of the angle θ(which is the greek letter theta)

of the first ring The angle is how big that fuzzy disk is going to be Why θ- Irsquom

not sure but angles in maths and physics nearly always use the greek letter

θfor some no doubt historic reason Do you remember sines cosines and tan-

gents No - oh well never mind One neat trick is that the sin of a very small

angle is almost the same as the angle itself It all goes wrong as the angle gets

bigger but it means that for small angles sinθasympθand the angles wersquore looking

at are typically very small

asympthis just means approximately equal to - so maybe not to several

decimal places but generally good enough

122 is just a number Irsquom sure yoursquove met those before

λis the greek letter lambda and is used in physics for wavelengths (in

this case of light)

and d is the diameter of the objective lensmirror

We can simplify this somewhat Lets stick with green light which is about in

the middle of the visible band This has a wavelength of around 550 nanome-

ters or 550x10-9 meters So we can now simplify the equation somewhat

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 14: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

14

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

OK - so now we have an equation with a bunch of numbers in that tell us how big the blurry spot will be

There are a bunch of things on the top line but they are all constant So there is nothing we can do about

those (well we could go to shorter wavelengths but we said wersquoll stick with visible green light)

So the only thing we can play with is the value of d If we make d smaller the angle gets bigger In case you

canrsquot see this lets replace the numbers on the top with 10 Now if we have d of 5 then the angle is 2 a d of

2 makes an angle of 5 a d of 1 makes it 10 So you can see as d gets smaller the angle and hence how blurry

the image is gets bigger If we make the mirror bigger though the angle gets smaller and each star forms

a smaller spot So we can see more detail split stars and so on This is crucially why big mirrors are better

than small mirrors When you magnify up the image you can go further before it all becomes a mess Itrsquos

like having more megapixels on your camera So that is why astronomers want ever bigger mirrors

However if we go back to the equation and

look at changing the wavelength we can see

something else If we switch to radio waves

which are huge compared to light waves we

can see what happens It explains why tele-

scopes like the Jodrell Bank radio telescope are

so big If we write out the formula putting in

the radio waves that a radio telescope generally

looks at for instance 10cm what does that do

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 15: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

15

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

How does this compare with my 127mm reflector Working out the relative values my telescope has about

300 times the resolving power of the 76 meter monster at Jodrell Bank just because Irsquom using shorter wave-

lengths Take that

Left Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope - credit

wikipedia

Of course there are other constraints

How stable the air is the ldquoseeingrdquo How

much dust is in the air how clean and per-

fectly machined your mirror is how good

your eyepiece is how much atmosphere

you are looking through etc etc Some of

these you can change but some yoursquore

stuck with So - we donrsquot talk about mag-

nification much with telescopes but more

about resolving power So next time your

Aunt asks you how many times it makes

things bigger you can either a) launch

into a diatribe about the relative merits

of resolving power versus magnification

or b) smile sweetly and say ldquooh - about

100xrdquo and silently grind your teeth

Words Julian Onions

Twitter julianonions

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 16: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

16

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a large format movie about Saturn made exclusively from real photographs taken

by spacecraft Director Stephen van Vuuren used more than a million photographs and numerous

film techniques to create the effect of flying through space around Saturn and among its rings CGI

and 3-D modeling were not used in any capacity to create the realistic feel van Vuuren wanted for

the viewerrsquos experience Most of the photos were taken by the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft which

was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 17: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

17

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 18: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

18

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 19: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

19

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

SATURN THE RING BEARER

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 20: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

20

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn- The Ring Bearer by D BoodDistinctive and impressive Saturn is truly a wonder to be observed through a telescope One of four gas giants and the

second largest planet in our solar system Saturn orbits out in a cold region of our neighbourhood

Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and has a very distinctive ring system All the gas giants have faint rings however

the ices that make up Saturnrsquos rings make them highly reflective

There are four gas giants in our system Jupiter the largest planet Saturn Uranus and Neptune However Uranus and Neptune

are also known as the Ice giants The ice giants have a less volatile composition and contain less hydrogen than Jupiter and

Saturn The ice giants are composed mainly of ices and are thought not to have metallic hydrogen at their cores

Images Above Saturn -NASA Opposite Jupiter Uranus Neptune

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 21: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

21

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

22

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

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Page 22: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Saturn is a strange world it has no solid surface and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body The planet

is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium Making up the rest is water ammonia and methane ices

Saturnrsquos clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane Ammonia and Water ice

crystals When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts Eventually

you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core

Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturnrsquos magnetic field

Images Above Wikipedia Bottom NASA Opposite D Bood

Saturn Facts

Saturn radiates 79 more energy than it receives from the sun

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 23: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

23

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 24: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

24

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A Day on SaturnIt is complicated to determine a Saturn day after all the entire

planet is a ball of gas with no land features to mark a point and time

how long that point makes a full revolution The different layers

observed rotate at different speeds

Astronomers have devised a system to look at the different areas

rotation It is called System 1 2 and 3

However a day on Saturn is roughly just over 10 hours

What is interesting is that both Saturn and Jupiter are still evolv-

ing they are still settling in gravitational terms This means they are

contracting which in turn created internal heat Saturn radiates 3

times more heat than it receives from the sun

The RingsSaturnrsquos rings can be seen with a small telescope however larger

telescopes give you more detail The rings are amazing to see With

a smaller telescope the rings appear more as one ring larger scopes

you can make out in more detail individual rings

The rings have been identified and labelled in order of discovery

and using a simple identification system (ABC to G)

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 25: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

25

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 26: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

26

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The rings are mainly composed of water ice they range

from small particles to larger lumps Some of the material

in the ring is rocky however this is mainly trace elements

Other planets have ring systems however Saturnrsquos are

the most stunning

We have found the rings vary in density and there are

gaps in the system we have also discovered moons

embedded into the system

How were they formed

There are two main theories on how the rings were

formed One theory is that a moon moved inwards during

its orbit the tidal forces of Saturn ripped the moon apart

and created the ring system

Theory two is that the ring system are the remains

or left overrsquos from nebular material from which

Saturn was formed Other theories include a

moon collision

The densest parts of the ring system are the A

and B rings There is a gap in between the rings

called the Cassini division This was discovered by

Giovann Doenico Cassini in 1675 The C ring which

makes up the main three rings was discovered

in 1850 The main rings contain larger particles

The other rings DEFG can be described as dusty rings and are not as dense as the main three

D ring inner most very faint

C ring wide and faint

B ring largest and brightest of the rings

A ring outer most of the large bright rings its inner boundary is the Cassini division

F outer most ring and the most active Its features change hourly

JanusEpimetheus ring faint dusty ring the moons Janus and Epimetheus orbit in this ring Material in this

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 27: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

27

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 28: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

28

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ring is ejected material from the moons this would have been caused by impacts

G ring very thin ring and faint positioned half way in between the F and the beginning of the E ring its inner

edges is in the orbit of the moon Mimas

Methone Ring Arc faint ring discovered in September 2006 the moon Methone orbits within this ring

Anthe ring faint ring discovered in 2007

Pallene ring a faint dust ring

E ring second most outer ring and is very wide It starts at the orbit of Mimas and ends a Rhea It consist of

ices silicates carbon dioxide and ammonia The particles are mainly microscopic

Phoebe Ring in Oct 2009 the rings discovery was announced it is just in the orbital plane of the moon phoebe

Saturnrsquos Moons

Both Jupiter and Saturn are like mini solar systems both

have a wide ranging array of moons From oddly shaped

rocky moons to moons frozen and covered in ice and a

strange moon with its own atmosphere

Some of Saturnrsquos moons or moonlets are no more than a

1 Km across however Saturn does have the solar systems

second largest moon Titan

Saturn hosts two moons of particular interest Titan as

mentioned before and the icy world of Enceladus What

is interesting about Enceladus is that a Liquid spews from

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 29: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

29

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases The plumes could also con-

tribute to Saturn ring system

Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a

large body of water The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust

A Sea on Enceladus and a Robotic MoleIn a place that is otherwise barren there is a place

of warm venting sea water chimneys of encrusting

minerals methane made by the rocks and water and

consumed by microbes and tiny creatures who cling

to their tiny island of life Itrsquos the Lost City hydrother-

mal vent field in Earthrsquos Atlantic ocean and it is being

studied as a strong analog for the environment within

one of Saturnrsquos moons Enceladus

This is Enceladus a moon in Saturnrsquos E-ring Before

ever knowing of the icy jets of salty spray a scien-

tist could look at this picture and be able to tell that

there was something interesting going on with that

ice coating the surface Look at that soft quiet white

and blue layer of ice that covers everything Do you

see those meteorite craters They donrsquot tend to be in

the southern part of the moon Itrsquos because those blue

veins in the south are warm fractures involved with the

processes that create the jets of ice The liquid water

The icy jets of Enceladus Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute (below) Above Enceladus (WikipediaNASA)

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 30: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

30

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and ice of the southern latitudes make up a physically

active zone that is always renewing itself Credit NASA

JPLSpace Science Institute

The surface on Enceladus seems calm and for a tiny

moon that seems at first glance to be utterly frozen

thatrsquos what yoursquod expect Except that Enceladus is a

moon of the gas giant planet Saturn and Saturnrsquos

gravity pulls at Enceladus and warps its rocky and icy

layers Think of it like the way our moon pulls on our

planet - we can see our oceans being pulled along with

the moon in high and low tides Our moonrsquos gravity

affects our rocky crust too we just donrsquot really notice

it But in the case of Enceladus the gravity pull from

Saturn is so strong that it causes solid layers like ice

maybe even the rocky core to stretch and push into

each other This heats things up and may be the main

cause of the jets

Of course Enceladus has its own gravity field which can

affect smaller objects like the Cassini spacecraft and

alter its path Physicists saw that the gravity measure-

ments Cassini took over the moonrsquos south polar area

were off from what would be expected if the moon

were a solid ball of rock and ice The denser some-

thing is the greater its gravity and over the south pole

it looked like there was something denser than ice

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 31: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

31

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

about 20 miles beneath the surface It could be a

layer of rock but the scientists who are studying

this say they are pretty comfortable in thinking that

it is probably liquid water - a sea that is 6 or 7 miles

deep and covers at least the far southern part of the

moon under the ice - maybe much more

Left is Enceladus with a wedge taken out so that we

can see what Cassini scientists think is the internal

structure Credit NASAJPL-Caltech

If that denser-than-ice layer is in fact a sea this

picture shows how that sea could possibly be the

source of the icy jets Enceladus is covered by a layer

of ice that is about 20 miles thick Beneath this is

the probable sea And beneath that sea is a rocky

core thought to be based on the mineral silica like

bedrock on Earth And if that is what is actually hap-

pening on Enceladus it is an absolute wonderland

for astrobiologists That sea and silicate rock would

make chemistry that life could live in

On Earth rock and liquid water react with each other

in ways that marine biologists and geologists under-

stand very well because itrsquos what gives the oceans

so much of its chemistry Thatrsquos why our seas are so

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 32: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

32

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

salty - there are lots of ions from minerals dissolved in them So much of the geology on Earth is from

rock being changed by the way water affects it but usually this happens slowly too slowly for anyone to

sit there and watch it happen But there are a few more dramatic reactions that literally can be watched

at the hydrothermal (hot water) vent sites Some of these vents called black or white smokers are in

volcanic areas where water seeps down through cracks in the crust gets super-heated and boils up in

jets Black and white smoker vent areas are filled with life very alien-seeming life Most of the known

deep-sea vents are so hot and acidic with temperatures in the vent water up to around 300 degrees C

that the creatures making a living there are very specialized to deal with those conditions In some parts

of the vent system oxygen is extremely low too low for oxygen-using creatures to live And most of the

life in these communities depend on the basic energy not of sunlight but of the chemicals in rocks cap-

tured by microbes

Normally when thinking about life that may be elsewhere in the solar system astrobiologists wouldnrsquot

use such alien-seeming Earth creatures The prudent thing is to speculate on living systems that are

well-known Almost all of the life that we know of on Earth are part of a global food web that is based

on the energy of sunshine captured by plants and an energy cycle that uses free oxygen released from

the plants and so photosynthesis is the energy process that most biologists know best But Earth is the

only place in the entire solar system where we have found liquid water on the surface where plants

can reach sunlight There really doesnrsquot seem to be any other place in our solar system where we could

expect a food web to be based on plants or their exhaled oxygen But what about those worlds with

hidden water We have to consider life forms that can get their energy from rocks and donrsquot need free

oxygen to live and hydrothermal vents are full of them

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 33: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

33

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Jupiterrsquos ice-covered moon Europa Credit NASAJPL and Ted Stryk

The idea of the black and white smokers as being possible analogs for extraterrestrial life has been debated

very fiercely The arguments really took off after Jupiterrsquos moon Europa was found to be covered with water ice

cracked like an eggshell where fissures seemed to leak up fluid from below Yes these extreme-heat vents have

amazing critters who donrsquot need the rest of us or any of our relations to live who can just cling to rock in hot

water and be perfectly happy Itrsquos so easy to imagine a vibrant ecosystem of hydrothermal vents in an under-ice

sea on Europa flourishing and oblivious to life on Earth The main problem with this idea is that the black and

white smoker hydrothermal vents are very volatile volcanic-based systems that may be around for only hun-

dreds of years before the volcanic activity ends there and moves to another spot And when it begins in another

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 34: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

34

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

spot it doesnrsquot start out gently but with very acidic water temperatures of 200-300 degrees C The life at

these vents are specialized to live there If that kind of system is thought to be the main focal point of life on

a small moon it doesnrsquot seem a very stable place for life to develop But in terms of how life makes a living

there The rock-chemical basis for life is known to be on Earth and is ancient Life started so quickly on Earth

based on the kind of energy channels already happening spontaneously and inorganically with hydrogen

carbon and oxygen that those microbes can be seen as living extensions of the water and rock that made

their home And so the thinking has been perhaps these kind of microbes could be on other wet and rocky

worlds if their environment is stable enough and not so extreme as the volcanic vents

Lost City Hydrothermal System

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 35: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

35

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A vent tower at Lost City with the robots Hercules and Argus

looking on Credit Deborah Kelley University of Washington IFE

URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

In 2000 a new kind of vent community was found on the sea

floor of the Atlantic Ocean Itrsquos called the Lost City vent field and it

isnrsquot based on volcanism but on rock-water reactions that release

energy as heat raising the water temperature to just around

90-100 degrees C This system has been in the same area for pos-

sibly over 20000 years building vent towers of calcium carbonate

rock - the same mineral that builds coral reefs and makes up the

shells of many sea animals One of the towers named Poseidon

is taller than an 18-story building These vents pour out water

rich in hydrogen and methane and carbon dioxide These chem-

icals are part of a classic energy chain used by some archaea

Microbes that live in the vents ldquoeatrdquo the methane making more

complex carbon molecules that then feed other microbes It is

both a non-living and living cycle interwoven and based on the

chemistry of the rocks and water with no sunlight needed

The carbonate towers build structures that are filled with life The walls inside and out are covered in microbes and some tiny translucent-shelled animals like crabs live in the crevices Credit IFE URI-IAO Lost City Science Party NOAA

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 36: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

36

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

This is a close-up of carbonate rock at

Lost City with a robot arm investigating

All those nooks are filled with life Credit

University of Washington IFE URI-IAO

NOAA

Meanwhile back on Enceladus the jets have

been sending icy spray out into Saturnrsquos E-ring

Cassini has flown three times through the jets

and has analyzed what kind of particles make up

the E-ring and it looks like the jets of Enceladus

are actually responsible for the material in the

ring Thatrsquos pretty cool but what is grabbing the

attention of astrobiologists is that in the jet ice are

chemicals life could use to live Ammonia methane

carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide complex carbon

molecules - what yoursquod expect from the chemistry of

water and silicate rock interacting This means that all

four of the basic ingredients thought to be needed for

life are within Enceladus water nitrogen (ammonia)

organic carbon (simple and complex carbon molecules

- organic means that it is in a form that life can use)

and a source of energy (heat and probably hydrogen)

There is some kind of strong heat happening although

researchers still donrsquot know if the resulting jets are

from the rock reactions heating the seawater or if the

jets come from parts of the deep ice layer above it

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 37: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

37

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

It can be easy for people who are familiar with life making things like methane and ammonia to leap to the

conclusion that all those chemicals found in the jets mean that life created them Cassini isnrsquot a life-search-

ing robot so canrsquot analyze things in that way And we arenrsquot going to know for awhile yet In its Science Plan

NASA isnrsquot planning a mission to Enceladus because it doesnrsquot have the funding In terms of planetary research

NASArsquos highest priority is all about Mars with the intent on sending humans to Mars in the 2030s Yet they

donrsquot have the money even for this their highest priority Politics calls the shots and is using the economic

crash as an excuse to not fund projects some of which NASA had already started work on with international

partners But fortunately the European Space Agency along with a few other space agencies is working on the

technology that will be needed for missions to Europa (Europa Explorer) and Enceladus (Enceladus Explorer)

These two explorer missions are working in tandem since so much of the basic technology would be used on

either moon These missions will be in multiple stages - first an orbiter whose focus will be its given moon

Enceladus or Europa then a lander which will land on the icy surface and release the robotic rover named the

Ice Mole The Ice Mole is being designed to melt and dig its way through the miles of ice to hopefully reach a

body of water like Enceladusrsquo sea or a kind of internal ice-pack pond on Europa then work on detecting signs

of life and pack up a sample return to send back to Earth This part of the project design is extremely chal-

lenging because of how deep the seas on both Europa and Enceladus are thought to be The robot needs to

be attached to a cable so that it can communicate with the surface and the orbiter which will relay the data

back to Earth But the sea on Enceladus is thought to be around 6 miles deep which is shallow compared to

Europarsquos sea of maybe 60 miles but in either case the sea floor is incredibly far away And remember - before

even reaching the sea any cable used has to first go down the depth of the ice layer which on Enceladus is

about 20 miles thick So communication with the Ice Mole is a huge challenge that is being worked on

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 38: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

38

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

An Earth mole Credit Michael David hill 2005

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 39: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

39

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Ice Mole melting a path for itself

through a glacier in Switzerland

Credit FH Aachen

Once the technology allows a robot like

Ice Mole to melt through miles of ice

swim miles to the sea floor and send data

through the sea up to the orbiter it could

look something like this This is the robot

explorer Hercules looking down at some

carbonate spires of the Lost City hydro-

thermal field Credit IFE URI-IAO UW

Lost City Science Party and NOAA

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 40: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

40

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

And this is Hercules photographing the IMAX tower at Lost City Credit IFE URI-IAO UW Lost City science party

and NOAA

Ice Molersquos primary mission is to look for chemical and physical signs of present or past life The technology is defi-

nitely very challenging but will be solved The main problem is funding and it is really devastating to outer planet

research when politicians responsible for funding simply donrsquot see how important these missions are This work

is bursting with the best minds creating the new technology needed to explore Enceladus Europa and other

outer-planet moons but it is really driven by the heart This kind of research is so profoundly human With solid

scientific data showing that Enceladus could very well be habitable for microbes and especially with the dis-

covery of what is almost certainly a liquid salty sea astrobiologists are rallying around this moon pushing for a

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 41: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

41

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

mission to happen - which means convincing people that it deserves the funding The money is there and frankly

is being spent on some pretty inane things like government golf courses We all need to make sure that the people

in our governments understand just how important these missions are to us At least the wait will give astrobiolo-

gists extra time to ground their understanding of the types of environments that could be in these moonsrsquo seas In

a way though for the field of astrobiology it doesnrsquot matter that we canrsquot know yet if there is life in these moons

We have found on another world the same chemistries that happen on Earth in places like Lost City and whether

or not life is using these chemicals or made them or neither wersquove still extended the known potential habitats

where life can potentially exist

Words Zantippy Skiphop

ZantippySkiphop

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

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I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 42: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

42

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Run you mouse over the image to watch a tour of Tring Astronomy Centre

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 43: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

43

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Address Unit 15 Old Silk Mill Trading Estate

Brook Street Tring Hertfordshire HP23 5EF

Phone01442 822997

Web httpwwwtringastrocouk

Tring_Astro

Tring Astronomy Centre

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 44: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

44

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 45: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

45

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

TITANSaturnrsquos largest moon and the solar systems second largest moon is a unique satellite

Firstly and strangely Titan has a thick and dense atmosphere Strange Well a body of

Titanrsquos mass usually down to its gravity and the solar winds losses its atmosphere as

did Mars Mars is a similar size to Titan However it is all about Location Location Saturn

orbits in a cold part of the solar system so due to less influence from the sun Titan is

able to hold onto its gases

A planet or moons ability to retain an atmosphere is determined by its mass and temper-

ature Titan is cold so therefore its atmosphere gas molecules move slowly and not fast

enough to escape Titanrsquos gravity It may lose Hydrogen molecules because they are far

lighter Titan also never became hot when it formed this enabled methane ammonia and

water ice to form on its surface Water remained on its surface locked in ice A mixture

of ammonia and methane then formed the moons early atmosphere

Today the atmosphere is nitrogen rich

By a method called photochemistry solar radiation broke down the ammonia (NH3) into

Nitrogen (N2) The conversion of NH3 to N2 occurs between 250 and 150K and lasted

for a period of about 100 million years

The SurfaceTitanrsquos surface temperature is a chilly -178 degrees C (-280 F) water on Titan becomes

rock like However a liquid flows on the surface this liquid is methane

Titanrsquos Haze

Credit NASAJPLSpace Science Institute

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 46: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

46

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 47: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

47

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Other surface features include dunes of hydrocarbons around the equator and low altitudes

these are moved about by winds Titan also has volcanoes which are known as cryovolca-

noes Unlike EarthTitan does not have magma rising up through the ground and spewing

out lava On Titan the eruptions are volatiles such as water ammonia or methane

Tidal forces produce the energy required for such eruptions

Weather On TitanIn many ways Titan is similar to Earth It has a liquid on its surface in the form of lakes and

rivers it also has seasons and weather systems However this is all done at much lower tem-

peratures than here on Earth

liquid on Titan is that of methane and ethane On Titan there is a methane based weather

system it assumes the similar role as water does here on earth

The circulation system can be compared to Earths Titan has also been described as tropical

Strange This is down to Titans slow rotation (16 Earth Days) and the behaviour of methane

The seasons on Titan are long lasting about 7 years it receives about 100 times less sunlight

than Earth however clouds form in the methane-nitrogen rich atmosphere The atmosphere

responds much slower than here on Earth

The University of Granada and the University of Valencia have looked at data from Cassini

and have found Titan has natural electrical activity

One of the elements for life is a spark (lightening) under the right conditions it may be pos-

sible that life may evolve on Titan

Scientists at NASA working on the Cassini project monitored Titans atmosphere for 35 years

they observed over 200 clouds and found these clouds matched models on how they are distrib-

uted around Titan

Titans northern hemisphere is entering its springsummer season this is interesting because on Titan

most of the liquid is in the northern hemisphere So far no waves have been detected on Titanrsquos lakes

and very little wind Current models indicate that the warming season could bring winds A wind of

1 to 2 mph could produce waves or ripples in the methane lakes

Like Earth Titan has rainfall The rain is that of methane and due to Titans gravity it falls slowly Much of

the surface is kept wet by a light drizzle The upper cloud layer is saturated with methane this allows

ice crystals to grow and form They eventually precipitate out and begin to fall the falling methane

crystals start to melt as the go through the atmosphere This forms light drizzle

Titan also has storms which can be quite powerful There is also evaporation from the lakes and seas

this contributes to the rainfall has it does on earth Other mechanisms for weather is volcanic activity

Images NASA

Words Dave Bood

DavesAstronomy

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 48: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

48

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 49: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

49

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 50: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

50

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

THE INTERVIEW

Valerie KlavansAdmin and Owner of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos Moonrdquo

Image Processor and Social Media Leader for

In Saturnrsquos Rings

IC Can you tell us about your interest in image processing What are your favourite images to

process

VK In 2009 I made a Facebook page for Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan and began posting images of the moon as

well as the latest news from the Cassini mission As I dug deeper into the Cassini images I saw that the space-

craft sends ldquorawrdquo images (uncalibrated untouched monochrome images) back to Earth on a frequent basis I

learned that these raw monochrome images can be combined into composites to show the true colour of the

Saturn system One day in 2012 I began to process these images and I found myself feeling like I was travelling

along with Cassini Whenever the latest images come back from the spacecraft I dabble in a new colour com-

posite of one of the worlds in the Saturn system My favourite images to process are of Titan ndash specifically the

infrared frames that reveal Titanrsquos surface In particular I love to process views of Titanrsquos north pole containing

its largest seas and many lakes I enjoy comparing them to previous views to see the difference in lake levels

due to weather (See my portfolio here)

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 51: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

51

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Figure a Above and Below Titanrsquos Atmosphere (LINK)

IC 2) Where does your interest in Titan come from

VK Irsquove always loved astronomy but it wasnrsquot until my undergraduate years that I realized what in par-

ticular piqued my interest One event in August 2008 made me love planetary science The Great Planet

Debate There I heard truly mind-blowing talks by important planetary scientists It made me realize we

are in the golden age of planetary science We are now just beginning to understand planetary objects

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 52: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

52

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

and we are in dire need of a good classification system for them That same year I began interning with the

Cassini missionrsquos Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center I had

an amazing time worked with amazing scientists and fell in love with Saturnrsquos largest moon Titan mainly

because it stands out as a truly unique world in our solar system

IC How important is it to study Titan and what can

we learn about our own planets early begins from

Titan

VK I personally think studying Titan is extremely

important It is a very complex world with a whole

host of processes going on Below Titanrsquos surface is

an underground ocean of liquid water Titan has an

extremely thick atmosphere that has more constit-

uents than other atmosphere we know of But its

uniqueness doesnrsquot stop there Titan is the closest

analog to Earth in the solar system Since one cannot

build a time machine to an early Earth Titan is next

best thing Titanrsquos atmosphere resembles the atmo-

sphere of early Earth Titan also has weather On Titan

methane rain falls from clouds which fills lakes and

seas on its surface Vast sand dunes (their composi-

tion is still unknown) stretch across Titanrsquos surface

similar to sand dunes on Earth

In Saturnrsquos Rings is a ground-breaking

non-profit film in production where science

meets art on the giant screen The film uses all

real images from space and no CGI whatsoever

In particular the film employs images from

the Cassini spacecraft The film focuses on

images of the Saturn system from the Cassini

spacecraft but will show many images from

all across our visible universe The filmmaker

Stephen van Vuuren uses an innova-

tive technique where he animates still images

to make it feel like you are really flying through

space In 2011 the first minute of

footage of the film went viral and thatrsquos how I

found out about the film

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 53: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

53

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about the work you do

VK I am a co-producer for In Saturnrsquos Rings I am also an image processor for the film and the leader of

the filmrsquos social media team In order to spread the word on the latest developments concerning the

film I post and tweet to the filmrsquos Twitter and Facebook on almost a daily basis

I am also a volunteer planetary science communicator Under my nom de plume of ldquoTitan Saturnrsquos

Moonrdquo I post about Saturnrsquos largest moon as well as the latest from the Cassini mission Titan has his own Facebook Twitter and WordPress blog On Facebook I focus on the latest images from

Cassini specifically Titan On Twitter I post what the spacecraft is doing on a daily basis On WordPress

I post details on Cassinirsquos latest flybys I compose a majority of updates writing in the first-person per-

spective thereby giving the impression the moon itself is behind the account

IC You have done features on some the USA networks can you tell us about that experience

VK On July 19 2013 people from all around the world waved at the Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn It took pictures

of us from Saturn orbit As soon as the raw images came in I immediately made color composites of those views

As a result I kinda went viral My images were featured on NBC News FOX News Daily Mail io9

Business Insider Yahoo News and many others

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 54: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

54

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 55: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

55

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

On October 10 2013 Cassini took some incredible up-close images of Saturn from above I produced color com-

posites of 2 of these views My images were featured on NBC News Discover Magazine Gizmodo Daily Mail and many others

TOP LEFT Earth from Saturn

BOTTOM LEFT Saturn and Earth

TOP RIGHT Earth and Moon from Saturn

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 56: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

56

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Staring towards Saturnrsquos north pole

Saturn and Earth

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 57: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

57

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Are there any other plans to land probes on Titan

VK Sadly nothing is in the works for the next few decades There was a recent proposal for a Titan lake lander called the Titan

Mare Explorer (TiME) that would have accomplished the first nautical exploration of an extraterrestrial sea Unfortunately

NASA chose to fund a Mars mission instead

IC Do you get time to observe through a telescope

VK Occasionally I get time to observe I donrsquot have the best telescope but I enjoy going to local star parties My favourite

objects to observe are planets and nebulae I was never really into stargazing until one trip I took in college to Arizona I visited

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona I saw an amazing view of Saturn I also went on top of the Grand Canyon at night The

sky was the darkest I had ever experienced Born and raised in Washington DC I thought a nighttime sky looked dark blue

I finally realized how black it truly can be standing on top of the Grand Canyon without the urban light pollution It was the

most amazing view I had ever seen ndash the band of the Milky Way was visible meteors every few seconds and so many stars

IC Do you think there may be a possibility of microbe life on Titan

VK There is a possibility of microbial life on Titan It is supported by the fact that Titan is the only known satellite in the solar

system with a thick atmosphere containing complex organic compounds ndash which include the chemical precursors of life Some

models in scientific literature have suggested that non-water based life may exist in Titanrsquos lakes and seas For example some

scientists have suggested that conditions for the existence of methanogenic bacteria present on Earth also exist on Titan

Titanrsquos sub-surface ocean consisting of water and ammonia may also be an environment for some forms of microbial life

IC Where else in the solar system do you think there could be life from simple cell structures to more complex life forms

VKThe best places to look for life in the solar system other than Titan are Enceladus and Europa since they have warm water

oceans beneath their surface If life exists there it may be similar to microbial life found in Earthrsquos deep oceans

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 58: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

58

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

IC Can you tell us about your future projects

VK My career goal is to inspire as many people as I can about planetary science I am pursuing a career in

planetary science communication I want to bridge the gap between scientists and the public

I would love to work on making museum displays TV shows and movies focusing on planetary science I am

currently unemployed but am looking for new opportunities in planetary science outreach all the time I am

currently working

Connect with Val on aboutme Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 59: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

59

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 60: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

60

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

EVOLUTIONldquoIt is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelli-gent that survives It is one that is most adaptable to changerdquo ndash Charles Darwin

All life on Earth can be traced back to the ldquoLast Universal Common Ancestorrdquo which is estimated to have

lived about 35 to 38 billion years back on Earth These earliest organisms have evolved into the diversity

of life on Earth we see today Yes we are distant cousins of the Sunflower the beetle and the blue Whale

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 61: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

61

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Organisms adapt to be better suited to their external environment When the adaptations are carried by an organ-

ism long enough they may form an entirely new species

We see examples of evolution all around us either natural or artificial

We know about bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics Humans have been able to breed wolves into different

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 62: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

62

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

species of dogs in just thousands of years Polar bears have naturally evolved from grizzly bears to adapt to

their harsh environment We have artificially modified various food products ndash wild mustard corn and various

fruits and flowers

Source httpssitesgooglecomsiteselectivebreedingofplants

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 63: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

63

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

So how does Evolution work Evolution is responsible for the remarkable similarity we see between all organisms (development of eyes

limbs respiration) and for the amazing diversity between animals too

So how do the cells in our body know how to adapt to the surroundings better The basic idea behind evo-

lution is genetic mutations upon which natural selection works

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 64: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

64

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Genetic Mutation

In order to understand how mutations occur in organisms we need to first take a look at our DNA All life on

Earth uses only 4 DNA bases ndash Adenine Guanine Thymine Cytosine

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 65: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

65

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The sequence of these bases in a

DNA strand represent instructions

about an organism for example a

particular sequence of three bases

may be an instruction for making a

specific kind of amino acid

DNA replication happens with

remarkable accuracy One human

cell takes only a few hours to copy

the entire 3 billion base sequence

in a human DNA However some-

times errors do occur less than 1

error per billion bases The wrong

base pair can get attached or an

extra base pair may be added or

deleted

It is these errors which form the

basis of evolution

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticleevo_14

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 66: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

66

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Consider a group of beetles which is predominantly bright green in colour However due to mutation in their

genes some beetles end up being brown in colour Brown colour gives a natural advantage to the beetles as

they are camouflaged better They pass this trait to their offspring Over time the ratio of brown to green

beetles changes as brown beetles are better suited to survive than green beetles

This is how natural selection works and ensures that species which are more adapted to their surroundings

survive while others become extinct

Human EvolutionEach human is unique and a result of 35 billion years of evolution on Earth We are primates Our ancestors

lived in the trees and many of our traits are adaptations to tree life ndash excellent hand-eye coordination eyes in

front to measure depth limber arms and dexterous hands

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 67: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

67

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Source httpevolutionberkeleyeduevolibraryarticle0_0_0evo_03

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 68: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

68

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Contrary to common belief humans have not evolved

from Chimpanzees (even though our DNA matches 98)

The species separated about some 6 to 7 million years

back

Humans have co-existed with at least two other human

species - the Neanderthals and the Hobbits of Indonesia

IMAGES TOP RIGHT- Neanderthals

MIDDLE- Hobbits

BOTTOM- Homo Sapiens

When we look at the advantages of intelligence from an

evolutionary point of view we realise it is but a natural

outcome Several other species have also demonstrated

intelligence ndash Crows Whales Octopus

So are we still evolving Our genome is difficult to distin-

guish from the genome of a human from 40000 years

ago But we have and shall continue to change dramati-

cally in terms of culture and technology

Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory

In 1971 scientists introduced 5 adult pairs of the Italian

Wall Lizards to a tiny island off the coast of Croatia In just

a few decades they had evolved features more suitable

to them for their new habitat ndash larger heads harder bite

and a new gut structure

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 69: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

69

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

(Read the story here httpnewsnationalgeographiccomnews200804080421-lizard-evolutionhtml)

Source projectforefrontblogspotcom

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 70: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

70

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

To summarize the observed facts of Evolution

bull Matching of fossils of extinct animals to that of modern animals

bull Examples of natural selection of species adapting to their surroundings Survival of the fittest is a

biological mechanism Birds will occasionally kill their young if they are weak so the surviving ones have

more food When a Cheetah makes a kill itrsquos the prey which runs the slowest which gets killed This also

explains why 99 of all life which has lived on Earth is now extinct

bull Examples of artificial selection (Wolves to Dogs)

bull No two individuals are exactly alike

Resources

1 Life in the Universe By J Bennett S Shostak

2 httpevolutionberkeleyedu

WORDS Henna Khan

henna_khan

Astronomy Science Communicator Skeptic Travel Freak Proponent of Disrupt Education

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 71: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

71

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Chasing Cloudbows

I have always been obsessed with anything in the sky whether it is astronomical

or meteorological I probably wouldnrsquot go as far as saying I was a plane spotter but

I also have a keen interest in military aircraft so I would describe myself as a sky-

watcher So when everyone else was moaning about the thick fog outsidehellipI was

busy packing my camera equipment and tripod The kids were rather intrigued as

to why I was bringing this along on the school run on such an ldquoawful dayrdquo They

are generally used to me having a quick glance out of the window abandoning my

current activity (usually their dinner much to their disgust) and running outside

with my camerahellipbut there was no sunrise sunset clear sky Moon or sound of a

jethellipjust a blanket of grey

I was hoping the reason for my excitement would be revealed when we reached

the school bus stop As we drove up the steep lane from the house the fog was

still like pea soup and I squealed with delight When we reached the pull in at the

top of the lane to wait for the bus the fog was just starting to clear it was becom-

ing daylight and the reason for my excitement was evident A clear sky

I should probably explain my reasons on why this morning was particularly dif-

ferent It is all to do with location We live at about 700ft on the side of a west

facing hill When I look out of my window and see fog it can be a good thing or a

bad thing It is normally determined when driving up to the top of our access lane

(some may call it a drive but that to me means smooth coiffured home entrance)

This is a potholed weather beaten track which leads to the top of the hillhellipand

civilisation Usually at the top (around 900ft) the lsquofogrsquo can usually be identified as

Stratus- the bad thinghellipor radiation valley fog- the good thing Stratus is when the

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 72: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

72

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

lsquofogrsquo basically goes on and on into the sky

with no end a claustrophobic low cloud

that is dismal at its very best Radiation

valley fog (a low lying Stratus) for us on

the side of the hill is quite spectacular as

you can see from this photo Perhaps not

so good for the people living in the village

enveloped within ithellipbut for a cloud spot-

ting photo opportunist this was heaven

Valley fog forms where cold dense air

settles into a valley condensing and forming

fog It is often the result of a temperature

inversion with warmer air passing above

the valley We quite often see it This par-

ticular day was even more exciting Usually

when the valley fog is present we are just

about on the fog line at the house or

it is well below us in the valley as in the

photo above (The photo was taken from

halfway up our track) With the sun about

to rise and plenty of fog below I had the

perfect conditions to try and capture two

of my sought after optical phenomena ndash A

fogbow and a glory

Armed with my camera and tripod I drove

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 73: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

73

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

back into the fog and waited for the sun to rise above the

hill behind me As the sun appeared behind the trees

on the top of the hill I had some great opportunities to

capture some corona This was a spectacular sight

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 74: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

74

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

A corona is produced when light is diffracted by small particles These can be water droplets dust particles

even pollen In this case it was the small water droplets caused by the fog You often see this effect when

the Sun or Moon passes behind a thin cloud The fog was drifting up and down the hill at this point so it was

perfect for playing with different effects

It wasnrsquot long before the Sun had scaled the trees behind and the fog started to retreat down the hillsidehellipthis

was my chance Fogbows or cloudbows are pretty much formed like rainbows and are created when light

passes through water droplets when you are facing opposite the sun The difference is that water droplets in

rainbows are much larger so light is refracted when entering a droplet of water then reflected inside on the

back of the droplet and refracted again when leaving it In a fogbow the water droplets are much smaller so

when light hits them they are too small to refract light so light is diffracted by the tiny droplets themselves

to form a much broader and paler bow Light merges into white instead of being separated into the colours

To observe a fogbow you need to have the light source (the sun) behind you The fogbow is then seen at

around an angle of 35 to 40 degrees from your shadow -this is called the antisolar point The fog has to be

below you with the sun strong enough to break through the fog behind This was why I was so excited to

have the fog so high up the hill I could still have the sun behind and the fog just below instead of it being

right down in the valley

I drove halfway down the track and waited for the sun to break through the fog I wasnrsquot disappointed The

fogbow was every bit as beautiful as I imagined it to be It was an eerie feeling with the fog drowning any

sounds Complete silence cold damp air and what looked like the ghost of a rainbow in front of me

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 75: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

75

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Next came the real challenge- trying to capture a glory The fog was rolling up and down the hill so it seemed

an age with much scrambling up and down walls machinery tree branches and mounds of earth to try and

get the best positionit wasnrsquot easy

Glories are one of the most amazing optical phenomena in my opinion and look like rainbow halos around

the observerrsquos head Although glories look similar to rainbows the way light is scattered to produce them

is slightly different Rainbows are formed by refraction and reflection whereas glories are thought to be

formed by backward diffraction To see them you have to be directly between the sun and the water

refracting droplets (in this case fog) with your shadow facing into the antisolar point A glory is sometimes

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 76: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

76

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

seen from an aeroplane when the sun is directly behind The glory can be seen surrounding the aeroplanersquos

shadow which is cast on the clouds below The formation of glory is not completely understood but it is

known that the light is somehow scattered backwards by water droplets in the fog around a shadow cast at

the antisolar point That shadow is often elongated and ghost like This is called a Brocken Spectre named

after Brocken the highest peak of the German Harz Mountains where climbers saw it at the summit cast

into the clouds below

I didnrsquot have a mountain to stand onhellipbut a

dry stone wall was equally challenging for

me especially as I had to balance with my

camera whilst I was up there But I finally

managed to capture it and it was a fabulous

moment A glory is unique to its observer

That is if a group of people were standing

on that drystone wall with me they would

only be able to see their own glory around

their own shadow and not each othersrsquo So

this was my glory and my special moment

and I was so glad I chased it

So if ever you find yourself halfway up a hill in thick fog make sure you aim for the top reach for the sun and find your

own glory I promise you wonrsquot be disappointed

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 77: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

77

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Article Joolz Wright

farmerswifee

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 78: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

78

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

The Importance of Gravitational Waves and the Formation of the Cosmic Microwave Background

In March 2014 one of the most ground breaking discoveries in modern Astrophysics was made That was

the discovery of gravitational waves within the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) Confirmation of this

discovery will all but prove inflation took place in the wake of the Big Bang creating the Universe as we

know it But in order to understand gravitational waves first we must look at the CMB and how this relates

to inflation

The CMB is often described as the lsquoechorsquo of the Big Bang A form of electromagnetic radiation it fills the

entire Universe with equal intensity in all directions This phenomenon was discovered in 1968 completely

by accident by two Scientists ndash Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson ndash whilst studying the intensity of radio

waves emitted from our galaxy In order to show that the radiation they were detecting was being emitted

by the Milky Way they first had to test for background radiation which they believed would be negligible

Unfortunately for them this wasnrsquot the case No matter where they pointed their antenna they found a

faint background noise outside our galaxy After looking at some calculations and talking with colleagues

they realised they had discovered a blackbody spectrum of around 35K being emitted in all directions in the

Universe They had discovered the CMB

So we know a little about the when the where and the who with regard to the CMB ndash but what actually is

it How was it formed and what does it have to do with gravitational waves and our early Universe

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 79: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

79

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

History of the Universe - gravitational waves are

hypothesized to arise from cosmic inflation a faster-

than-light expansion just after the Big Bang (17 March

2014)source wikipedia

IMAGE BELOW SCISTANDCOM

The early Universe is often talked about in terms

of the first three minutes Now this may not sound

like a long time but it is basically the time when

Scientists believe everything happened

First up came the Plank or Superstring Epoch which

describes the first 10-43seconds Dominated by

radiation the Universe was too hot for anything to

form The quantum effect of gravity was also much

stronger throughout this stage leading Scientists to

believe it was intertwined with the other fundamen-

tal forces (electromagnetic strong nuclear and weak

nuclear) creating a single unified force dominat-

ing the Universe Next came the Grand Unification

Epoch This period of time relies upon the accuracy of

the Grand Unification Theory (GUT) which suggests

that if particles collide at energies above 1014GeV

the strong nuclear force will be combined with the

weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces ndash and at

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 80: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

80

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

even higher energies even gravity would be indistinguishable At energies this high the Universe would

have been so hot and dense no one force could have been separate This stage ended after 10-35seconds

when the Universe underwent a bout of inflation allowing temperature and energy levels to drop enough

for the forces to begin to separate

After this period of rapid expansion came the Hadron Epoch As the name suggests during this period of

time the Universe was filled with hadrons such as protons and neutrons During this phase the Universe

cooled to an extent where the first elements could begin forming out of the lighter hadrons The Universe

would have been a violent place at this time as along with particle formation antiparticles were also created

causing collision and annihilation between particle and antiparticle pairs The last of the four unified forces

also separated creating a very different Universe to how it had been previously

The next period in the development of the Universe ndash the Lepton Epoch ndash lasted until 102seconds after the

Big Bang A Lepton is a particle of light so it was during this phase that the first electron and positron pairs

were created As in the Hadron Epoch a period of annihilation followed until an equilibrium was reached

and the number of protons neutrons and electrons became stable It was now that nucleosynthesis could

begin allowing the first heavy elements to form

The Nuclear Epoch followed and lasted for the next 1000 years With temperatures cooling from 109K to

around 3000K during this time it became cold enough for nuclear fusion between protons and neutrons

to occur Collisions at these temperatures allowed for the creation of a heavy form of Hydrogen ndash known

as Deuteron ndash plus an energy release which was used to fuse another proton to the Deuteron nucleus pro-

ducing Helium-3 Temperatures and radiation levels at this time were still too high to allow the formation of

anything heavier but soon became too low to form new elements This fixed the make-up of the Universe

at 75 Hydrogen 25 Helium and trace amounts of Deuteron Lithium Beryllium and Boron

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 81: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

81

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

After the Nuclear Epoch came Recombination This is where a

proton captures an electron allowing the first neutral atoms

to form Although no light was yet being emitted recombi-

nation would have lifted the veil on the early Universe allow-

ing it to become clear and visible for the first time Radiation

was also now being forced to decouple from the matter it

had always been paired with which allowed gravity to take

over as the dominating force in the Universe Gravity then

began forcing particles of elements together which was the

beginning of all gas star and planet formation which we see

today It is the leftover radiation from this process that we

see today as the CMB

So if the discovery of the CMB was the trigger of proof needed

to suggest that the idea of inflation shortly after the Big Bang

was correct gravitational waves could be the smoking gun

The amplification of gravitational waves through inflation

causing polarization of the radiation emitted from the CMB

could be the proof we needed to usher in a new era in par-

ticle physics

WORDS DAN LUCAS

Photo Steffen RichterHarvard University

dan__lucas

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 82: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

82

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

kidsCorner

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON by J L Kennedy

Twinkle was in the Control Room looking for his magic wand He had searched every other

room in the Space Basehellip

Last night all the Fuzzballs watched the film lsquoHarry Potter and The Philosopherrsquos

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 83: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

83

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Stonersquo and now Twinkle wanted to play at being a wizard just like Harry But how could he

be a wizard without his wand

URGENTmdashTHE MOON IS DISAPPEARING LAST WEEK IT LOOKED LIKE A FOOTBALL -

TONIGHT IT LOOKS LIKE A BANANA PLEASE CAN YOU SAVE IT

FROM JACK amp MILLIE JONES CARDIFF WALES

(TWINS AGED 6)

THANKS FOR MESSAGE

WILL LOOK AT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY

TWINKLE

(YOUNGEST FUZZBALL IN SPACE BASE)

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 84: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

84

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle stared out of the window Jack and Millie were rightmdashthe Moon did look like a

banana And he was sure it had looked like a football not long ago Something must be seri-

ously wrong Twinkle spun round in panic Maybe if he could just find his wand he could

sort the problem out with a magic spell He searched under the chairs and beneath a pile

of books but had no luck

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 85: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

85

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

ldquoDrew will know how to get the Moon backrdquo muttered Twinkle to himself

He left a note on his fatherrsquos desk lsquoGone to Moon with Drew love Twinklersquo then fled

down the Fuzz Flume to find Drew the Chief Space Engineer

Drew was servicing one of the Comet Rockets

ldquoEmergencyrdquo gasped Twinkle ldquoWe need to fly to the Moonrdquo

ldquoWhy Whatrsquos happenedrdquo asked Drew

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 86: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

86

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sat behind Drew in the cockpit

and seconds later they were weaving

between the stars

ldquoSo Twinkle why are we flying at

full speed towards the Moonrdquo asked

Drew

ldquoWell wersquove had an urgent request

for help from two children in Wales We

must save the Moonrdquo

ldquoTwinkle you arenrsquot making any

senserdquo said Drew ldquoLook - wersquore nearly

there The Moonrsquos in front of us now - I

donrsquot think it needs saving from anything

mdashrdquo

ldquoDrew last week it looked like a

football - now itrsquos a banana Somethingrsquos

eating it or blowing it up or mdashrdquo

Drew laughed and laughed until tears were

running down his furry little face

ldquoTwinkle you can tell the twins that the

Moon isnrsquot shrinking or changing Itrsquos just that

they canrsquot always see all of it Let me explain

The Sun only lights up the side of the moon

facing it Sometimes we can see all of the bright

side ndash thatrsquos a Full Moon -like a football But

most of the time we can only see part of it At

the moment the sun is only shining on a small

portion of the Moon - we call that a Crescent

Moon As you say it looks like a bananardquo

ldquoSurerdquo

ldquoPositiverdquo replied Drew ldquoAnd to prove

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 87: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

87

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

it wersquoll fly around the Moon so you can see that itrsquos all thererdquo

ldquoThank you for letting me know Irsquoll have hot chocolate and cupcakes ready for yourdquo

ldquoYummyrdquo

ldquoOh Twinkle before you gohellip I found your magic wand in my mixing bowlhellip what was

it doing in thererdquo

ldquoThatrsquos where I left it I remember now - I was trying to make fairy cakes appear by

magicrdquo

ldquoSo what happenedrdquo

ldquoNothing The magic didnrsquot work I couldnrsquot get any cakes to appear let alone ones with

fairies on the toprdquo

His mother tried not to laugh ldquoDonrsquot worry Twinkle Irsquoll explain how to make fairy cakes

when you get backrdquo

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 88: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

88

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Twinkle sighed ldquoThanks Mum but I think Irsquove had enough explanations for one day

my headrsquos spinning Irsquoll just eat your cakes and go to bed See you later I must send a

message to Jack and Millie nowhellip tell them the Moonrsquos not turning into a banana Byerdquo

FUZZBALLS AND THE BANANA MOON Copyright copy 2014 J L Kennedy

All rights reserved

More short stories on our website wwwfuzzballscouk

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 89: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

89

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4

Page 90: ICY SCIENCE SPRING 2014 E-MAGAZINE

90

I C Y S C I E N C E | Q T R 2 S P R I N G 2 0 1 4