Cloud Illumination Photograph of the Earth in which agglomerations of clouds and the brightness reflected by the illuminated face of our planet can be seen. Terrestrial clouds can reflect up to 80% of the light they receive. Credit: Gabriel Pérez, IAC (Multimedia Service) 3DClouds Clouds are indicative of atmospheric pressure and existing temperature. Terrestrial cloud cover can be seen this three-dimensional representation, obtained from combined measurments from various meteorological satellites. The cloud distribution is represented during the phenomenon known as "El Niño" (1997-98) and shows anomalies in sea surface temperatures. Credit: NASA.

From data obtained over two decades (1984-2005) by a network of meteorological satellites from all over the world, astronomers Enric Pallé, Pilar Monañés-Rodríguez and Manuel Vázquez from the IAC, together with Eric Ford from the University of Florida and Sara Seager of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have produced a computer-generated model of the Earth's brightness. Results have shown that, if observed as a point source, such as an extraterrestrial observer would view it, the Earth's cloud mass would follow a repetitive pattern with a certain frequency.

"The trick lies in interpreting the movement of the Earth's surface and the clouds as periodical signals, just as if we were to observe the spots on a spinning ball appearing and disappearing", explains Enric Pallé, first author of an article to be published next month in the American Astrophysical Journal.

An extraterrestrial`s view of the Earth Orstio    December 25th, 2007 - 12:56 PM Click here to read the article ... Quote Searchers for habitable planets in the Milky Way have found a new ally.According to research led by astronomers from the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC), clouds can provide enough information to determine the period of rotation of a planet and deduce the variability of its atmosphere. Owing to the role played by clouds, which are so commonplace on Earth but unique in the Solar System for their dynamism, it could suffice scientists to analyse the brightness of a planet to ascertain the length of its day and determine whether or not there is water on its surface.   [span class=imagecaption]With a size of 10 metres wide, 20 metres long and 6 metres high, the AL. . . [/b][/i]

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With a size of 10 metres wide, 20 metres long and 6 metres high, the ALMA antenna transporter is a real colossus. (c) ESO

The transporter was named 'Otto' in honour of Otto Rettenmaier, the owner of the Scheuerle company. "The rather unusual move to name a vehicle is a recognition of the remarkable achievement these unique machines represent," said Hans Rykaczewski, the European ALMA Project Manager. "Their sizes alone would justify using superlatives to describe them. But they are also outstanding as they will operate at 5000 metres altitude, where the air is rare, and they have to be able to place 115-ton antennas with a precision of a few millimetres," he added.

"The ALMA antenna transporters are the proof of the excellence of our staff and of our ability to build heavy vehicles that are at the limits of the possible," said Otto Rettenmaier. "Never in the history of our company have we had to comply with such exceptional requirements on material and techniques as we had to do with these machines. We are proud as a company to have been able to contribute with such an exceptional piece of technology for astronomical research."

The ALMA Project, in which ESO leads the construction and the operations on behalf of Europe, is a giant, international observatory currently in construction on the high-altitude Chajnantor site in Chile, which will be composed initially of 66 high-precision telescopes, operating at wavelengths of 0.3 to 9.6 mm. The ALMA antennas will be electronically combined and provide astronomical observations which are equivalent to a single large telescope of tremendous size and resolution.

ALMA Antenna Transporter Presentation Orstio    October 7th, 2007 - 8:32 PM Click here to read the article ... Quote Today, the first of the two ALMA antenna transporters was given its name at a ceremony on the compounds of the manufacturer, the heavy-vehicle specialist Scheuerle Fahrzeugfabrik GmbH, in Baden-W?rttemberg. The colossus, 10 metres wide, 20 metres long and 6 metres high, will be shipped to Chile by the end of the month. The second one will follow in a few weeks.   [span class=imagecaption]With a size of 10 metres wide, 20 metres long and 6 metres high, the ALMA antenna transporter is a real colossus. (c) ESO[/span] The transporter was named 'Otto' in honour of Otto Rettenmaier, the owner. . .

Re: ALMA Antenna Transporter Presentation Astronuc    October 9th, 2007 - 7:30 PM Now that is a serious set of wheels!    Cool - a diesel electric system Quote the transporter can be manoeuvred by a single operator, the precise positioning being made possible by a hydrostatic system while the electronic 28-wheel drive allows very precise motions.

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ExoMars, which is scheduled to launch in 2013, is the first mission in the European Space Agency’s Aurora programme to explore Mars and the Moon. It will search for traces of past and present life on Mars and gather information the Martian environment in preparation for future missions.   The ExoMars rover will carry a comprehensive suite of instruments dedicated to exobiology research. The rover will be able to travel several kilometres during its nominal lifetime of 6 months and analyse samples from with in surface rocks and from the subsurface, down to a depth of 2 metres.(credit: © University of Wales, Aberystwyth)

In simulations, now being backed up by laboratory tests in the “Mars Yard”
at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, the rover first builds up a three-dimensional model of its surroundings and then analyses each rock for surfaces suitable for drilling. The rover can then calculate the adjustments needed to position its chassis, robotic arm and instruments to acquire the sample.

Dr Dave Barnes, who is presenting results at the European Planetary Science Congress in Potsdam on Monday 20th August, said, “This system allows the rover to do more than find nice flat areas to drill. The versatility of our system and its ability to pinpoint the best site to take samples, even from complex micro-features on rocks, could be vital when looking for evidence of exobiology.”

In recent Mars missions, up to 40% of operations time has been taken up with defining, planning, rehearsing, scheduling and uploading every move that the rover makes on the surface of Mars. For NASA’s Mars Exploration Rovers, three Martian days can elapse between a target being identified and the rover actually acquiring the sample. The autonomous systems developed by the Aberystwyth team should bring that time for ExoMars down to less than one Martian day.

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