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-22- has been shown to be sensitive to flavins. Utilizing this information a new purification procedure has been developed enabling faster and greater yields of the pigment to be obtained. The effects of varying spectral quality and ultraviolet radiation on plants is not definitely known, but this information is of significant scientific interest. As past of its environmental biology program, the Laboratory has developed an ultraviolet scanning radiometer which has improved the accuracy of taking various ultraviolet measurements. In addition, Laboratory developed equipment is being used at the Tropical Research Institute to measure spectral quality of solar energy transmitted through the tropical forest canopy on Barro Colorado Island. Similar measurements are being taken at the Institution's Chesapeake Bay Center to research the transmission of biologically effective radiation in the Rhode River estuary. Research into these areas reflects the Institution's continuing interest about the influence of spectral quality of solar radiation on growth and development. Understanding the rhythms and responses of plants to sunlight, especially under environmentally stressed situations, will be of increasing importance in future years. The Institution will continue to consider alternative locations for the Laboratory. It is currently housed in leased quarters in Rockville, Maryland, and the lease (including available options) expires in 1990. Relocation to a nonleaded site is the preferred solution in order to provide, over the long run, quality research facilities including a glass house and controlled laboratory space for experimenting with plant growth. The Laboratory has not had adequate facilities for this purpose for the last ten years. A small glass house with limited capabilities may be installed by the General Services Administration on the leased property in the next two or three years as an interim measure. The Laboratory is now using a small greenhouse facility on loan from the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Over the years, however, the research programs have been hampered by the lack of a fully equipped scientific facility. Correcting that situation and providing a permanent relocation are long-term objectives. [[underlined]] Air and Space Museum. [[/underlined]] Over the next five years, the Museum expects to bring its education, research, and exhibits activities more into balance. Using its extensive biographic files, technical plans, and artifacts, present levels of historical research on aviation and space flight will be strengthened. The Center for Earth and Planetary Studies will seek to expand its efforts in arid land remote sensing, comparative planetology, lunar geology and photo-imaging. A reorganization of the Museum's departments and offices took place in FY 1980 and should assist in achieving these goals. The new department of Space Sciences and Exploration has been formed to allow the museum to exploit through its research and exhibit programs the historical and technical achievements of not only the development of flight and of the manned space program, but new findings in the areas of astronomy and other studies. The reorganization is geared to lend impetus to the Museum's research programs through development of collaborative publications, scholarly symposia, and journal writing projects. The education programs of the Museum have been enhanced this past year
