We have analyzed infrared (IR) images of Jupiter which was observed at the McDonald Observatory, Texas, U.S.A., during the P/SHoemaker-LEvy 9 (SL9) impact period and about one week after the last impact. The IR images were obtained on the 2.7m telescope using a NICMOS array with filters to isolate the 1.5 μm NH3 band, the 2.3 μm CH4 band, the 2.12 μm H2 S(0) pressure-induced absorption, and the continua at 1.58 μm and 2.0 μm (short K-band). All images except those with the 1.58 μm continuum filter show bright impact sites against the relatively dark Jovian disk near the impact latitude of about 45° S. This implies that dusts originated from the impacts reflect the solar radiation at high altitudes before absorbed by stratospheric CH4, NH3 or H2. The impact sites observed with the 2.3 μm filter are conspicuously bright against a very dark background. The morphology of impact sites, G, L, and H at 2.3 and 2.12 μm filters shows clearly an asymmetric structure toward the incident direction of the comet fragments, in agreement with the studies of visible impact images obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. Comparisons of reflectances of G, L, and H sites with simple radiative transfer models suggest that optically thick dust layers were formed at high altitudes at which methane absorption attenuates incoming sunlight only by about 1%. The dust layers in these sites seem to form at about the same altitude regardless of the magnitude of the impacts, but they appear to descend gradually after the impacts. The dust layers have optical depths of 2-5, according to the models.

Transgenic plants that over express virus coat protein genes have attracted particular interest from researchers, by virtue of their tolerance to virus infection. The transgenic watermelon rootstock analyzed in this study was established by introducing CGMMV coat protein (cp) under the control of CaMV 35S promoter and NOS terminator (Park et al., (2005) Plant Cell Rep. 24: 350-6). The primary objective of this study was to determine the copy number and integration site of the transgene element, in order to develop detection techniques required for monitoring of the transgenic watermelon rootstock. The Southern blot analysis indicated that a single copy of CGMMV-cp gene was inserted into the genome of transgenic watermelon rootstock. We also identified the genomic sequences flanking the integration site of the transgene by inverse PCR analysis. In an effort to find a sequence usable as an internal positive control for the screening of the watermelon and watermelon rootstock, we found that the Sat and DIP-1 genes appears as one copy within their genomes and is watermelon rootstock- and watermelon-specific. The information of the integrated site and the internal positive control sequence was used to establish a new event-specific PCR-based detection method. In addition, mRNA and protein expression level of the transgene in the transgenic watermelon rootstock and grafted watermelon were investigated. The expression of both mRNA and protein of CGMMV-CP was not detected in the transgenic watermelon rootstocks and watermelons, suggesting that the movement of transgene products from transgenic rootstock to watermelon does not occur at our detection level.