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As the winner of the Longitude prize on antimicrobial resistance is announced, chair of the prize committee Martin Rees, the UK's Astronomer Royal, explains why it pays to reward ideas

As the winner of the Longitude prize on antimicrobial resistance is announced, chair of the prize committee Martin Rees, the UK's Astronomer Royal, explains why it pays to reward ideas

The FDA has authorized just one type of avian flu test, and it is only available to livestock workers

The third episode of "The Acolyte" is a long flashback that adds more layers to both the story being told and the Star Wars universe as a whole.

Earth observations are one of the most essential functions of our current fleet of satellites. Typically, each satellite specializes in one kind of remote sensing – monitoring ocean levels, for example, or watching clouds develop and move. That is primarily due to the constraints of their sensors – particularly the radar. However, a new kind of sensor undergoing development could change the game in remote Earth sensing, and it recently received a NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) grant to further its development.

That new sensor technology is known as a Rydberg sensor, and it uses quantum theory to detect a broad band of radar signals all at once. The grant went to Darmindra Arumugam of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who specializes in remote sensing and has worked with the technology for years. So why are Rydberg sensors so special?

In a typical remote sensing application, a sensor is launched on a satellite that is very good at detecting a particular frequency of light. In radar terms, these are broken up into several different “bands,” each covering anywhere from a few megahertz to a few gigahertz. Some are more familiar than others, such as UHF (ultra-high frequency—300-1000 MHz), but some are more esoteric, such as the Ku band from 12-18 GHz.

Here’s a presentation on the topic Dr. Arumugam gave to NC State’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Credit – NC State ECE

Each of these bands is good at monitoring one particular system back on Earth. For example, NASA uses the VHF (30-300 MHz) to study Earth’s tomography and the UHF band to study snow and rainfall. However, each of these frequencies would require its own specially designed antenna to detect, so any system that would attempt to have detection capabilities over a wide range of frequencies, and thereby be monitoring a wide range of different systems, would get more and more expensive as additional bands were added to the system.

That’s where Rydberg sensors come in. They are a novel type of sensor that uses the quantum state of a single atom to detect a broad band of different electromagnetic waves. For example, a single Rydberg sensor could detect signals from the HF band all the way up through the Ka-band at the faster end of the radar spectrum. This would allow a satellite with a single sensor to monitor all the different systems that radar can detect remotely.

Explaining the functioning of a Rydberg sensor requires a relatively complete understanding of quantum mechanics. Rydberg sensors are named after a quantum state known as the Rydberg state, which is extraordinarily sensitive to its environment. To get to the Rydberg state, engineers have to zap a single atom of Rubidium or Cesium with a laser to make it grow to an extraordinarily large state – almost to the size of a bacteria. They then optically monitor changes in the atom, which is affected by signals in the radar bands previously mentioned. The supporting optical system then analyzes the changes in the atom and can correlate those changes to changes in the signal at a particular frequency band.

In this AstronomyCast episodes, Fraser and Pamela discuss why remote sensing is so useful.

Several proofs of concepts have already been shown, such as those provided by the National Institutes of Standards and Technology. But they have yet to be applied to space – and that is where Dr. Arumugam’s research comes in. His NIAC-funded project is to develop a Rydberg sensor that can be launched on a satellite and detect a broad band of radar signals, including those that monitor the cryosphere, where ice and snow are present on land. With a single Rydberg sensor, Dr. Arumugam hopes to capture all the data for a complete picture of how Earth’s glaciers, snow melt, and ice pack change over time. 

That is still a long way off, as rides into space aren’t well known for being gentle, and so far, Rydberg sensors have only ever been shown to work in a lab. But, given that the technology is only ten years old, there is much potential room for improvement, which is precisely what NIAC grants are for. As Dr. Arumugam says at the end of his proposal write-up, this technology “[has great] potential to generate interest within NASA, the public, and industry…” If it works how theorists expect it to, he will be proven right.

Learn More:
Darmindra Arumugam – Crysopheric Rydberg Radar
UT – Mapping Lava Tubes on the Moon and Mars from Space
UT – Satellite Images Can Help Predict When Underwater Volcanos are About to Erupt
UT – Satellites can Track Microplastics From Space

Lead Image:
Graphical depiction of Rydberg sensing radars.
Credit – Darmindra Arumugam

The post How a Single Atomic Sensor Can Help Track Earth’s Glaciers appeared first on Universe Today.

Lakita Lowe is at the forefront of space commercialization, seamlessly merging scientific expertise with visionary leadership to propel NASA’s commercial ambitions and ignite a passion for STEM in future generations. As a project integrator for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP), Lowe leverages her extensive background in scientific research and biomedical studies to bridge the gap between science and commercial innovation. 

Lowe recently supported both planning and real-time operations contributing to the successful completion of the Axiom-3 private astronaut mission which launched in January 2024 and is gearing up to serve as CLDP’s Axiom-4 private astronaut mission lead. Her responsibilities include managing commercial activity requests to ensure they align with NASA’s policies, supporting real-time mission operations from CLDP’s console station, and working with various stakeholders to ensure commercial policy documentation is updated to align with the agency’s current guidelines. 

“The commercially owned and operated low Earth orbit destinations will offer services that NASA, along with other customers, can purchase, thereby stimulating the growth of commercial activities,” said Lowe.  

Official portrait of Lakita Lowe. Credit: NASA/Bill Stafford

Initially set to attend pharmacy school, a chance encounter at a career fair led her to NASA. Seventeen years later, Lowe now supports the enablement of NASA’s goal to transition human presence in low Earth orbit from a government-run destination to a sustainable economy.  

Lowe’s work has spanned various NASA programs, including the Human Health and Performance Directorate in the Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences (BRES) Division. Lowe’s role in BRES supported NASA research involving the understanding of human adaptation to spaceflight and planetary environments, the development of effective countermeasures, and the development and dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge.  

“The efforts that go into preparing crew members for spaceflight and ensuring they maintain good health upon their return to Earth is amazing,” she said, highlighting their rigorous pre-flight and post-flight testing.

Lakita Lowe prepares samples for analysis in a microbiology laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Lowe’s passion for science was ignited in high school by her biology teacher, whose teaching style captivated her curiosity. She received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in chemistry from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. With five publications completed during her tenure at NASA (two of which were NASA-related), Lowe has contributed to our understanding of the agency’s vision for human spaceflight and commercial research and development on the orbiting laboratory. 

Lowe is in the process of completing her Ph.D. in Education (Learning, Design, and Technology) from Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, with a dissertation involving the establishment of telesurgery training programs at medical institutions. She is exploring a field that holds significant promise for space exploration and remote medical care. This technology will enable surgical procedures to be performed remotely, a vital capability for astronauts on long-duration missions. 

Lakita Lowe at the 2022 International Space Station Research & Development Conference (ISSRDC) in Washington D.C.

Lowe dedicated 14 years of her career to integrating science payloads for the International Space Station Program. Early in her career, she worked as a payloads flight controller as a lead increment scientist representative, a dual position between NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. After two years supporting real-time console operations, Lowe served as a research scientist with NASA’s Program Scientist’s Office, where she assessed individual science priorities for the agency’s sponsoring organizations’ portfolio to be implemented on the space station.  

Later in her career, she worked as a research portfolio manager in the International Space Station Program’s Research Integration Office where she managed the feasibility and strategic planning for investigations involving remote sensing, technology development, STEM, and commercial utilization. She worked closely with researchers sending their experiments to the orbiting laboratory, tracking their progress from start to finish.  

Now, in the commercial sector, her focus has shifted toward policy and compliance, ensuring commercial activities align with NASA’s regulations and guidance. 

Lakita Lowe (second to left) at a NSBE SCP (National Society of Black Engineers – Space City Professionals) Chapter membership drive on May 23, 2023. Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

For Lowe, one of the most rewarding aspects of her job is the ability to inspire young minds. Her advice to young Black women interested in STEM is to not limit themselves and to explore the vast opportunities NASA offers beyond engineering and science roles. She emphasizes the importance of NASA engaging with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority-serving institutions to spread awareness about the opportunities within the agency.  

“Considering my busy schedule, I try to make myself available for speaking engagements and mentoring early-career individuals when possible,” she said. 

Lowe actively participates in organizations like the National Society of Black Engineers and serves as a mentor to interns at Johnson. She is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and Johnson’s African American Employee Resource Group. 

Lowe poses for a selfie at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Lowe’s relentless pursuit of knowledge and her unwavering dedication to STEM education continue to inspire generations and pave the way for a more dynamic future in human spaceflight.  

“As an African American woman at NASA, I am excited about the future of space exploration, where diversity and inclusion will drive innovative solutions and inspire the next generation to reach for the stars.” 

The waning gibbous Moon is pictured above Earth from the International Space Station as it soared into an orbital nighttime 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean near the northeast coast of South America on Sept. 30, 2023.

During the Rodent Research-1 (RR-1) mission flown to the ISS in 2014, videos that were taken to observe the mice revealed an unusual behavior that researchers are still working to understand. Young (16-week-old) but not old (32-week-old) mice engaged in a high level of ‘running’ behavior beginning within two weeks of launch (Sci Reports, 2019).

Some alternate interpretations of the running behavior of mice on orbit include significant scientific literature on the rewarding effects of physical exercise, as seen in the footage of Astronaut Alan Bean on Space Lab below. A multi-investigator collaborative team of scientists is conducting follow-up studies on the ground as well as in space on the upcoming Rodent Research-26 mission to understand more about what could be driving this behavior. Comprehensive and in-depth molecular biology studies will be looking at potential indicators of stress (maladaptive coping) or whether the running behavior is a beneficial adaptation to the weightlessness of space.

Watch the video below to see the mice (and humans) in space.

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Video of the quirky circling behavior of mice aboard the ISS was recently released. Scientists will be doing further research to understand what's behind this unexplained behavior.NASA Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA NASA Biological & Physical Sciences

BPS administers NASA’s: BPS partners with the research community and a wide range of organizations to accomplish its mission. Grants…

International Space Station

Human Research Program

Ames Research Center

NASA, ESA/Andreas Mogensen

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen snapped a photo of the waning gibbous moon from the International Space Station as it soared 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean near the northeast coast of South America on Sept. 30, 2023.

Waning gibbous is one of eight moon phases, occurring after the full moon. The Sun always illuminates half of the Moon while the other half remains dark, but how much we can see of that illuminated half changes as the Moon travels through its orbit. As the Moon begins its journey back toward the Sun, the lighted side appears to shrink, but the Moon’s orbit is simply carrying it out of view from our perspective.

Image Credit: NASA, ESA/Andreas Mogensen

By looking at Earth as an exoplanet, astronomers hope to search for similar fingerprints coming from planets around other stars, which would be a potential sign of intelligent life.

The Leftovers follows those left behind after 140 million people vanish, unaccountably, in The Departure. The parallels with the covid-19 pandemic are obvious in this jewel of a TV show, says Bethan Ackerley

These stunning photographs are some of the winners of this year’s Milky Way Photographer of the Year competition

Hunt for the Oldest DNA, the story of Eske Willerslev, a Danish evolutionary geneticist reconstructing ecosystems from ancient DNA, is as compelling as his scientific discoveries

These stunning photographs are some of the winners of this year’s Milky Way Photographer of the Year competition

Hunt for the Oldest DNA, the story of Eske Willerslev, a Danish evolutionary geneticist reconstructing ecosystems from ancient DNA, is as compelling as his scientific discoveries

Nine years after hackers targeted Ashley Madison, the dating site for wannabe adulterers, many people still don't grasp what was truly chilling about the scandal, says Annalee Newitz

Feedback looks into new research into whether air passengers need to worry about collisions with birds, and is relieved to discover no real animals were used in the experiments

Babies cannot tell us what they are experiencing, so it is hard to know what they are conscious of. But new research suggesting they perceive the world consciously could change how we care for them, says Claudia Passos-Ferreira

Michael Schindhelm's exhibition explores the possibilities and perils of living healthily for centuries – or at least much longer than today

Nine years after hackers targeted Ashley Madison, the dating site for wannabe adulterers, many people still don't grasp what was truly chilling about the scandal, says Annalee Newitz