Tag Archives: planetary

Discovering the Formation Process of Common Planetary Systems in an Ultra-Low Density World

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Comparison of Taurus and Earth

Exploring a Low-Density Planet Compared to Earth

Image Credit: NASA

Newly discovered planets orbiting V1298 Tau are unusually lightweight, possessing a density comparable to polystyrene. This discovery may bridge critical gaps in our understanding of planetary system formation.

Unlike most planets in our Milky Way galaxy, which are often larger than Earth and smaller than Neptune, this solar system showcases an uncommon configuration. Astronomers have cataloged numerous planetary systems that formed billions of years ago, complicating our understanding of their genesis.

The research team, led by John Livingstone from the Astrobiology Center in Tokyo and Eric Pettigura from UCLA, has identified four dense planets that likely formed recently around a young star, V1298 Tau, which is around 20 million years old.

“We are examining younger models of the types of planetary systems commonly found across our galaxy,” Pettigura remarked.

Initially discovered in 2017, V1298 Tau and its accompanying planets remained largely unstudied until now. Over five years, researchers utilized both terrestrial and space telescopes to observe tiny variances in orbital durations, revealing intricate gravitational interactions among the four planets. These measurements enable more precise calculations of each planet’s radius and mass.

To effectively employ this observational method, researchers required initial estimates of each planet’s orbital duration without gravitational interference. Lacking that data for the outermost planet, they relied on educated conjectures, risking inaccuracies in their calculations.

“I initially had my doubts,” Petitgras admitted. “There were numerous potential pitfalls… When we first acquired data from the outermost planet, it felt as exhilarating as making a hole-in-one in golf.”

By accurately measuring the orbital durations and subsequently estimating the radii and masses, the team determined the densities of the planets. They discovered these are the lowest-density exoplanets known, with radii spanning five to ten times that of Earth, yet only a few times its mass.

“These planets exhibit a density akin to Styrofoam, which is remarkably low,” Pettigura explained.

This low density can be attributed to the planets’ ongoing gravitational contraction, potentially classifying them as super-Earths or sub-Neptunes—types of planets typically formed during the evolutionary stages.

The planets of V1298 Tau operate in a so-called orbital resonance, indicating their orbital periods are harmonically related. This observation aligns with astronomers’ theories on the formation of most planetary systems, including our own solar system, which initially have tightly packed configurations that eventually evolve into less stable arrangements, according to Sean Raymond from the University of Bordeaux in France.

“This newly identified system of close, low-mass planets revolving around a relatively young star could provide insights into typical sub-Neptunian systems,” Raymond pointed out. “This discovery is remarkable due to the inherent challenges in characterizing such youthful systems.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Mars Was Once Warmer and Wetter, Say Planetary Scientists

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NASA’s Perseverance spacecraft has identified thousands of light-toned rock fragments, also known as floating rocks, several of which exhibit spectral characteristics of an aluminum-rich clay mineral known as kaolinite. To understand their origins, planetary scientists utilized data from Perseverance’s SuperCam and Mastcam-Z instruments to analyze the chemistry and reflectance spectra of the floating rocks in relation to deeply weathered paleosols (ancient soils) and hydrothermal kaolin deposits recorded in Earth’s geological archives. The increased levels of aluminum and titanium, along with the reduced amounts of iron and magnesium, differentiate these rocks from hydrothermal deposits, aligning them more closely with the bleached layers of paleosoils formed during periods of significant rainfall in Earth’s past greenhouse climates. Thus, these rocks may signify some of the most aqueous periods in Mars’ history.

Mastcam-Z landscape and multispectral images of light-toned float rocks atop the Jezero Crater Margin Unit near the Hans Amundson Memorial Works (Sol 912). It shows the spectral diversity of this material. Image credit: Broz others., doi: 10.1038/s43247-025-02856-3.

“Rocks like these are likely among the most significant outcrops we’ve observed from orbit because their formation is challenging to replicate elsewhere on Mars,” stated Dr. Bryony Hogan, Perseverance’s long-term planner and a researcher at Purdue University.

“Given that these require substantial water, we believe they could be indicative of an ancient, warmer, wetter climate that experienced prolonged periods of rainfall.”

“Tropical environments, such as rainforests, are where kaolinite clays are predominantly found on Earth,” added Adrian Broz, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher at Purdue University.

“Thus, when finding kaolinite on Mars, which is desolate and frigid with no surface liquid water, it suggests that there used to be significantly more water than is present today.”

Kaolinite fragments, varying in size from pebbles to larger rocks, contribute to the ongoing discussion about the climate of Mars billions of years ago.

Initial analyses using the SuperCam and Mastcam-Z instruments have involved comparing kaolinite to analogous rocks on Earth.

Debris from Mars could yield crucial insights into not only the planet’s historical environmental conditions but also how it transitioned to its current desolate state.

“Kaolinite carries its own enigmas,” emphasized Dr. Hogan.

“Currently, there are no significant outcrops nearby that could explain the presence of these light-colored rocks, despite their distribution along the mission’s path since Perseverance’s landing in Jezero Crater in February 2021.”

“This crater once housed a lake that was approximately twice the size of Lake Tahoe.”

“While there are compelling indicators of significant water events, the origin of these rocks remains uncertain.”

“It’s possible they were transported into the Jezero lake by rivers that formed the delta regions, or they may have been ejected into Jezero by a meteorite impact. The complete picture is still unclear.”

Satellite imaging has revealed substantial kaolinite outcrops in various regions of Mars.

“However, until we can physically reach these large outcrops with spacecraft, these small rocks are the only tangible evidence we have regarding their formation,” Dr. Hogan noted.

“Currently, the findings in these rocks suggest a historically warmer and wetter environment.”

Mastcam-Z and SuperCam observations of hydrated layers of aluminum-rich floating rock in Jezero Crater, Mars. Image credit: Broz others., doi: 10.1038/s43247-025-02856-3.

The researchers compared the Martian kaolinite samples studied by Perseverance to rock samples located near San Diego, California, and in South Africa. The similarities between the rocks from both planets were striking.

On Earth, kaolinite forms in both rainy tropical climates and hydrothermal systems where hot water permeates into rocks.

Nonetheless, this process leaves behind chemical signatures that differ from the effects of cold leaching from rain over extended periods.

Scientists evaluated various hydrothermal leaching scenarios against Martian rocks using datasets from three distinct sites.

Rocks like kaolinite from Mars act as time capsules, potentially preserving billions of years of information regarding environmental conditions throughout Earth’s history.

“All life requires water, so if these Martian rocks signify a rainfall-driven environment, that’s an extraordinary indication of a potentially habitable space where life could have flourished on Mars,” stated Dr. Broz.

The team’s paper has been published in the journal Communication Earth and Environment.

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AP Broz others. 2025. Alteration history of aluminum-rich rocks in Mars’ Jezero Crater. Communication Earth and Environment 6,935; doi: 10.1038/s43247-025-02856-3

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Uncover New Planetary Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud

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Astronomers have identified a faint planetary nebula during a spectroscopic examination of stars in NGC 1866, a vast young globular cluster within the Milky Way satellite galaxy, known as the Large Magellanic Cloud. This nebula, designated Ka LMC 1, is situated near the core of NGC 1866.

This image shows NGC 1866 overlaid with a false-color representation from the MUSE data cube, highlighting the ionized shell of planetary nebula Ka LMC 1 as a red ring. The grayscale inset details the sizes of the ionization shells of singly ionized nitrogen. [N II] and doubly ionized oxygen [O III]. A magnified Hubble image reveals a pale blue star at the center, likely the hot central star of Ka LMC 1. Image credit: AIP / MM Roth / NASA / ESA / Hubble.

NGC 1866 is located at the edge of the Large Magellanic Cloud, approximately 160,000 light-years from Earth.

This cluster, also referred to as ESO 85-52 and LW 163, was discovered by Scottish astronomer James Dunlop on August 3, 1826.

Surprisingly, NGC 1866 is a young globular cluster positioned close enough for individual star studies.

In a recent spectroscopic investigation of NGC 1866, astronomers analyzed spectra captured by the MUSE Integral Field Spectrometer on ESO’s Very Large Telescope.

They made an unexpected and intriguing discovery: the ionized shell of a planetary nebula.

A subsequent study utilized images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to explore the nature of the object, which has been named Ka LMC 1.

“Planetary nebulae signify a late phase in a star’s evolution, during which the star consumes hydrogen for nucleosynthesis, expands as a red giant in a shell-burning phase, and eventually sheds most of its mass into a large, expanding shell. The remaining core then contracts and heats up, eventually cooling to become a white dwarf,” explained lead author Dr. Howard Bond, an astronomer at Pennsylvania State University and the Space Telescope Science Institute, along with his colleagues.

“Once the core surpasses 35,000 degrees, the shell ionizes and becomes visible through emission lines at specific wavelengths.”

The research team noted that Hubble images depict the hot central star of the Ka LMC 1 nebula.

“Ka LMC 1 is a genuine enigma. A young star cluster aged 200 million years implies that its progenitor star must be significantly massive,” noted astronomer Professor Martin Roth from the Potsdam Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics, the Institute for Physics and Astronomy at the University of Potsdam, and the German Center for Astrophysics.

“However, such a star would quickly evolve towards a cooling white dwarf stage.”

“Reconciling the age of the planetary nebula’s expanding shell with the theoretical evolutionary trajectory of its central star has been challenging.”

“This object undoubtedly demands further detailed observations to clarify its characteristics.”

“It presents a rare opportunity to observe star evolution over a timeframe that usually spans millions, if not billions, of years.”

“Yet, the evolution of massive central stars occurs in merely a few thousand years, making it possible to align with the timeline of the nebula’s expansion.”

According to a study published on November 7, 2025, in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.

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Howard E. Bond et al. 2025. A faint planetary nebula was accidentally discovered in the massive young LMC star cluster NGC 1866. pasp 137, 114202; doi: 10.1088/1538-3873/ae1664

Source: www.sci.news

Planetary Scientists Uncover New Minerals on Mars

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The recently identified mineral, Phalic Hydroxysullate, sheds light on the environmental conditions and history of Mars, hinting at potential past volcanic, ash, or hydrothermal activities.

A distinct spectral unit on the Juventue Plateau on Mars. Image credit: Bishop et al, doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-61801-2.

The compact reconnaissance imaging spectrometer (CRISM) on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has gathered hyperspectral data, enabling the mapping of numerous minerals that enhance our understanding of Mars’ ancient geochemical history.

Various sulfate minerals have been identified both from orbit and during landing missions, utilizing spectral parameters, X-ray diffraction, and elemental composition to compare with minerals found on Earth.

In 2010, a unique spectral band was detected in the CRISM data from Mars, specifically on the plateau near Juvento Chasma and within the eroded impact crater Arum Chaos.

This spectral band did not match any known minerals, presenting challenges in mineral identification for over 15 years.

Initial laboratory studies suggested that dehydrated iron sulfate could be the source of this unidentified material.

“The data obtained from spectrometers can’t be utilized in that manner,” explains Dr. Mario Parent, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“Data adjustments are necessary to account for atmospheric effects.”

“The sunlight reflecting off the minerals and CRISM passes through the Martian atmosphere twice,” he continues. “There are scattering molecules and gases that absorb light.” For instance, Mars has a high concentration of carbon dioxide, which can distort the data.

By employing a deep learning artificial intelligence method, researchers can map both known and unknown minerals, automatically identifying anomalies in individual image pixels.

This technique has revealed additional locations with similar spectral bands and clarified other spectral features.

With refined properties, researchers were able to replicate the minerals in the lab and identify the enigmatic compound as hydroxysulfate.

“Materials formed in laboratory conditions may represent new minerals due to their unique crystal structure and thermal durability,” states Dr. Janice Bishop, a researcher at the SETI Institute and NASA’s Ames Research Center.

“However, it is imperative to find them on Earth to officially classify them as new minerals.”

Hydroxyacids are formed at elevated temperatures (50-100 degrees Celsius) in the presence of oxygen and water under acidic conditions.

“When will we observe this material once we develop a mineral attribution and obtain the necessary indicators of a specific material?” Dr. Parente questions.

Scientists deduced that it formed in Arum Chaos due to geothermal heat, while the same minerals likely originated in Juvento from volcanic activity involving ash or lava.

They speculate this may have occurred during the Amazonian era, which is estimated to be under 3 billion years ago.

“Factors such as temperature, pressure, and pH are critical indicators of what the paleoclimate was like,” states Dr. Parente.

“The existence of this mineral adds depth to our understanding of Martian processes.”

“Some regions of Mars have been chemically and thermally altered more recently than previously thought, providing new insights into the planet’s dynamic surface and its potential to support life.”

Study published in the journal Nature Communications.

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Jl Bishop et al. 2025. The properties of iron hydroxythrusa acid on Mars and the implications of the geochemical environment that supports its formation. Nat commun 16, 7020; doi:10.1038/s41467-025-61801-2

Source: www.sci.news

Planetary Scientists Discover Seasonal Ozone Layers Formed by Mars’s Arctic Vortex

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Polar water is generated during the Martian season, which occurs due to the planet’s axis being tilted at an angle of 25.2 degrees, as explained by Dr. Kevin Olsen from Oxford and his colleagues at Latmos, CNRS, CNRS, Space Research Institute, Open University, and NASA.

This perspective view of Mars’ Arctic Ice Cap showcases its unique dark troughs arranged in a spiral pattern. The image is derived from observations made by ESA’s Mars Express, utilizing elevation data from NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor’s Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter. Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/NASA/MGS/MOLA Science team.

“The polar vortex’s atmosphere, extending from near the surface to around 30 km high, experiences extremely low temperatures, approximately 40 degrees Celsius lower than the surrounding area,” stated Dr. Olsen.

“In such frigid conditions, most of the water vapor in the atmosphere freezes and accumulates in the ice cap, resulting in ozone formation within the vortex.”

Normally, ozone is destroyed by reacting with molecules generated when ultraviolet radiation decomposes water vapor.

However, once all water vapor is depleted, there are no reactive molecules left for ozone, allowing it to accumulate in the vortex.

“Ozone plays a crucial role for Mars. It is a reactive form of oxygen that indicates the pace of chemical reactions occurring in the atmosphere,” Olsen noted.

“By investigating the levels of ozone and their variances, we gain insight into how the atmosphere evolves over time and whether Mars once had a protective ozone layer similar to Earth.”

Slated for launch in 2028, ESA’s Rosalind Franklin Rover aims to uncover evidence of life that may have existed on Mars.

The possibility that Mars had a protective ozone layer, safeguarding its surface against harmful ultraviolet radiation from space, enhances the likelihood of ancient life-sustaining conditions on the planet billions of years ago.

Polar vortices are produced during the Martian season as a consequence of the axial tilt of 25.2 degrees.

Similar to Earth, an atmospheric vortex forms above Mars’ North Pole at the end of summer and persists through spring.

On Earth, polar vortices can destabilize, losing their structure and shifting southward, often bringing cold weather to mid-latitudes.

A similar phenomenon can occur with Mars’ polar water vortex, which provides an opportunity to explore its internal dynamics.

“Studying the Northern Pole’s winter on Mars presents challenges due to the absence of sunlight, akin to conditions on Earth,” Dr. Olsen explained.

“By analyzing the vortex, one can differentiate between observations made inside and outside it, providing insight into ongoing phenomena.”

The atmospheric chemical suite aboard ESA’s trace gas orbiter examines Mars’ atmosphere by capturing sunlight filtered through the planet’s limb while the sun is positioned behind it.

The specific wavelengths of absorbed sunlight reveal which molecules are present in the atmosphere and their altitudes above the surface.

Nonetheless, this method is ineffective during the complete winter darkness on Mars when the sun does not illuminate the Arctic region.

The only chance to observe the vortex is during moments when its circular shape is lost, but additional data is required to pinpoint when and where this occurs.

To enhance their research, the scientists utilized NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s Mars Climate Sounder instrument, measuring temperature variations to gauge the vortex’s extent.

“We sought sudden drops in temperature, which indicate entry into the vortex,” Dr. Olsen noted.

“By comparing ACS observations with data from Mars’ climate sounders, we observed significant atmospheric differences within the vortex compared to the surrounding air.”

“This presents a fascinating opportunity to deepen our understanding of Mars’ atmospheric chemistry and how polar night conditions shift as ozone accumulates.”

The findings were presented at the EPSC-DPS2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki, Finland, this month.

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K. Olsen et al. 2025. What’s happening in the Arctic Vortex of Mars? EPSC Abstract 18: EPSC-DPS2025-1438; doi: 10.5194/epsc-dps2025-1438

Source: www.sci.news

Planetary Scientists Challenge Marine Origin of Organic Molecules in Enceladus’ Plumes

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The magnetosphere of Saturn is filled with trapped plasma and energy-charged particles that consistently bombard the surface of Enceladus. This plasma mainly consists of charged particles, including water group ions created from high-energy electrons interacting with materials from the plumes. Instruments on NASA’s Cassini spacecraft reveal that on Saturn’s inner icy moons, such as Mimas and Tethys, cold plasma irradiation results in darker reflection spectra and produces blue-tinted features on their surfaces. In contrast, the consequences of plasma bombardment on Enceladus remain largely unexplored and challenging to assess.

Saturn’s Moon Enceladus and Plume. Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/Kevin M. Gill.

“The discovery of complex organic molecules in Enceladus’s environment is crucial for evaluating lunar habitability, indicating that radiation-driven chemistry on the surface and within plumes can yield these molecules.”

The Enceladus plume was first identified in 2005 by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft.

These plumes emerge from a long fracture known as the “Tiger Stripes” located in Enceladus’s Antarctic region.

Originating from a subsurface ocean, the water’s energy to create plumes and heat the ocean arises from gravitational tidal forces exerted by the massive Saturn, which deforms Enceladus’s interior.

Cassini flew through the plume, “sampling” the molecules present, which were found to be rich in salts and a variety of organic compounds.

These findings have captivated astrobiologists since organic compounds found dissolved in underground oceans could lead to prebiotic molecules, the building blocks of life.

However, new insights suggest that radiation from Saturn’s powerful magnetosphere could also contribute to the formation of these organic compounds on Enceladus’s icy surface, prompting questions about their astrobiological significance.

In their research, Dr. Richards and colleagues replicated the ice composition on the surface and along the striped walls of Enceladus’s tiger.

This ice comprises water, carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia, which were cooled to -200 degrees Celsius.

The researchers then bombarded the ice with ions to mimic the radiation environment surrounding Enceladus.

The interaction of ions with ice components generated various molecular species, including carbon monoxide, cyanate, and ammonium.

It also produced precursor molecules for amino acids, which could support metabolic reactions, aid in cell repair, and facilitate the formation of proteins that transport nutrients in living organisms.

Some of these compounds have been previously identified on Enceladus’s surface, while others were detected in feathers.

“Molecules deemed prebiotic do not necessarily originate from subterranean oceans but can instead form in situ via radiation exposure,” noted Dr. Richards.

“This does not dismiss the potential for the Enceladus seas to be habitable, but it emphasizes the need for caution when interpreting the plume’s composition.”

“Distinguishing between ocean-derived organic matter and molecules formed through radiation interactions with the surface and tiger stripes is extremely complex.”

“Additional data from future missions will be essential, including proposals for the Enceladus mission currently under review as part of the ESA’s Navigation 2050 recommendations for the science program.”

The team’s survey results were announced earlier this month during the EPSC-DPS2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

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Grace Richards et al. 2025. Water group ion irradiation studies of Enceladus surface analogues. EPSC Abstract 18:EPSC-DPS2025-264; doi:10.5194/epsc-dps2025-264

Source: www.sci.news

Planetary Scientists Suggest Mission to Investigate Upcoming Interstellar Comet

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Researchers at the Southwest Research Institute have completed a study outlining how the proposed spacecraft could fly by interstellar comets, offering valuable insights into properties of these bodies throughout the solar system. Leveraging recent findings from interstellar comet 3i/Atlas, they explored mission concepts and concluded that the proposed spacecraft could potentially intercept and observe 3i/Atlas.

Hubble captured this image of 3i/Atlas when it was 446 million km (277 million miles) from Earth on July 21, 2025. Image credits: NASA/ESA/David Jewitt, UCLA/Joseph Depasquale, Stsci.

In 2017, interstellar object 1i/’oumuamua became the first interstellar comet identified within the solar system.

Following that, the second interstellar comet, 2i/Borisov, was discovered in 2019, and recently, 3i/Atlas was identified this year.

“These novel types of objects present the first true opportunity for humanity to closely examine bodies formed in other star systems,” said Dr. Alan Stern, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute.

“Flybys of interstellar comets could yield unparalleled insight into their composition, structure, and characteristics, significantly enhancing our understanding of the solid body formation process in diverse star systems.”

Scientists estimate that numerous interstellar objects from distant origins cross Earth’s orbit each year, with up to 10,000 potentially entering Neptune’s orbit in certain seasons.

Dr. Stern and colleagues tackled unique design challenges while defining the costs and payload requirements for interstellar comet missions.

The hyperbolic trajectories and high velocities of these bodies present challenges for current avoidance methods, but this study indicated that Flybee reconnaissance is both feasible and cost-effective.

“The trajectory of 3i/Atlas falls within the intermittent range of missions we designed, and the scientific observations taken during such flybys would be groundbreaking,” stated Dr. Matthew Freeman from the Southwest Institute.

“The proposed mission would involve a rapid, frontal flyby, allowing us to gather substantial valuable data while also serving as a blueprint for future missions to other interstellar comets.”

The research establishes a significant scientific objective for its mission targeting interstellar comets.

Understanding the physical characteristics of a body sheds light on its formation and evolution.

Investigating the composition of interstellar comets may aid in explaining their origins and how evolutionary forces have shaped them since their inception.

Another objective is to thoroughly examine the coma of an object, the escaping atmosphere emanating from its center.

To devise mission orbital options, researchers created software to generate representative synthetic populations of interstellar comets, calculating the minimum energy trajectories from Earth to each comet’s pathway.

Software analyses have indicated that low-energy rendezvous trajectories are achievable, often requiring fewer resources during launch and flight compared to other solar system missions.

Scientists utilized the software to determine the trajectory the proposed spacecraft may have taken from Earth to intercept 3i/Atlas.

They found that the mission could potentially have reached 3i/Atlas.

“It’s incredibly promising regarding the emergence of 3i/Atlas,” noted Dr. Mark Tapley, an orbital mechanics expert at the Southwest Research Institute.

“We have demonstrated that there’s no need to launch any existing technology or mission frameworks that NASA has already employed to engage these interstellar comets.”

Source: www.sci.news

Planetary Researchers Discover Wobble-like Atmosphere Similar to Saturn’s Hazy Moon Titan

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Titan is the sole moon in our solar system with a significant atmosphere, captivating planetary scientists for years. Recent analysis of archival infrared data from the composite infrared spectrometer (CIRS) onboard the NASA/ESA Cassini-Huygens mission reveals that Titan’s hazy atmosphere does not rotate uniformly with its surface but instead exhibits a wobbly motion akin to that of a seasonally shifting gyroscope.

This view of Titan is among the final images received from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute.

“The dynamics of Titan’s atmospheric tilt are quite peculiar,” remarked Dr. Lucy Wright, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Bristol.

“Titan’s atmosphere acts similarly to a gyroscope and seems to maintain stability in space.”

“We suspect that certain historical events may have displaced the atmosphere from its spin axis, resulting in its wobbling motion.”

“More intriguing is the observation that the degree of this tilt varies with Titan’s seasons.”

Dr. Wright and her team analyzed the symmetry within Titan’s atmospheric temperature field, confirming their hypothesis that it is centrally located at the poles.

However, this symmetry alters over time, corresponding with Titan’s extensive seasonal cycles that span nearly 30 years.

“What complicates matters is that this phenomenon is unaffected by the Sun or Saturn; it remains stationary in space, while the slope direction is fixed,” noted Professor Nick Teenby from the University of Bristol.

“This presents us with a riddle instead of a solution.”

This discovery will impact NASA’s upcoming Dragonfly Mission, a rotorcraft set to reach Titan in the 2030s.

Dragonflies will descend into the atmosphere, subject to the rapid winds of Titan, which are approximately 20 times faster than the surface rotation.

Understanding how the atmosphere wobbles seasonally is crucial for accurately determining the landing trajectory of the Dragonfly.

The tilt influences the payload’s aerial trajectory, making this study vital for engineers in predicting landing sites.

“The Goddard Space Flight Center noted: ‘NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center plays a significant role globally.”

“This instrument travels across the solar system, continuing to yield valuable scientific insights.”

“The behavior of Titan’s atmosphere as a rotating top detaches from the surface prompts fascinating inquiries that enhance our understanding of atmospheric physics, applicable to both Titan and Earth.”

Survey results were published this week in the Journal of Planetary Science.

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Lucy Wright et al. 2025. Seasonal evolution of the stratospheric slope and temperature field of Titan at high resolution from Cassini/CIRS. Planet. SCI. J 6, 114; doi: 10.3847/psj/adcab3

Source: www.sci.news

Planetary Scientists Discover New Evidence of Venus’ Geological Activity

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Often referred to as the Earth’s “twin planet,” Venus presents a stark contrast in surface conditions, atmospheric composition, and structural characteristics. Gaining insight into the internal mechanisms that shape Venus’s surface remains a key objective in planetary science.

An artist’s impression of a volcanic eruption on Venus. Image credit: ESA/AOES Mediaab.

The Earth’s surface is perpetually reshaped through the continual movement and recycling of vast sections of the crust, known as tectonic plates, which float above the viscous mantle.

Unlike Earth, Venus lacks tectonic plates, but its surface is still influenced by molten material rising from beneath.

To better comprehend the processes underlying these transformations, scientists have examined structures known as corona.

With sizes ranging from dozens to hundreds of kilometers, coronae are primarily formed where hot, buoyant mantle material ascends and pushes against the lithosphere above.

These features generally exhibit an oval shape and are surrounded by a concentric fracturing pattern.

Researchers estimate that hundreds of coronae are present on Venus.

Utilizing archival data from NASA’s Magellan mission, Dr. Gael Cascioli from the University of Maryland and colleagues identified signs of surface or subsurface activity that significantly shaped many of Venus’s coronae.

“Coronae are not observable on Earth today. However, it is conceivable that our planet’s early history included formations before the advent of plate tectonics,” stated a recent paper published in the journal Advances in Science.

“By integrating gravity and topographical data, this research has provided critical new insights into the subterranean processes that likely continue to influence Venus’s surface today.”

Launched in 1989, Magellan employed a radar system to penetrate Venus’s dense atmosphere and create detailed maps of its mountainous and plain terrains.

Among the various geological features mapped, coronae were notably enigmatic, with their formation remaining initially unclear.

Since then, planetary scientists have detected numerous coronae in regions where the lithosphere is thin and geothermal activity is high.

“Coronae are plentiful on Venus, representing significant features, and over the years, multiple theories have been proposed concerning their formation,” remarked Dr. Anna Gürcher, a researcher at the University of Bern.

“The exciting aspect of our research is that we can now assert that ongoing activity processes driving their formation are highly probable.”

“We hypothesize that similar processes may have also taken place early in Earth’s history.”

Researchers have developed advanced 3D geodynamic models illustrating different scenarios for the formation of plume-induced coronae, which were then compared with Magellan’s gravity and topographic data.

Gravity data has proven instrumental in enabling researchers to detect low-density regions below the surface and identify buoyant structures at elevated temperatures, something that topographical data alone cannot reveal.

Of the 75 coronae analyzed, 52 exhibited buoyant mantle materials beneath them, suggesting potential for significant structural processes.

One critical process is subduction. On Earth, this occurs when one tectonic plate is pushed beneath another.

Friction between plates can induce earthquakes, and as older rocky material descends into the hotter mantle, those rocks melt and re-emerge at the surface through volcanic activity.

On Venus, various forms of subduction are suspected to happen around several coronae.

In this context, hot rock buoyancy within the mantle forces material into the lithosphere, resulting in surface material rising and spreading outward, colliding with surrounding areas and pushing some material back down into the mantle.

Additionally, another structural process known as lithosphere drip may exist, with denser cold materials sinking from the lithosphere into the heated mantle below.

Several locations have also been identified where a third process might be occurring, where molten rock plumes beneath thicker areas of the lithosphere could potentially drive volcanic activity above.

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Frog Casioli et al. 2025. Spectra of structural processes in Venus’ coronae revealed by gravity and topography. Advances in Science 11 (20); doi:10.1126/sciadv.adt5932

Source: www.sci.news

Hubble and Webb telescopes examine the planetary debris disk surrounding Vega

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There is no clear evidence that one or more large exoplanets are punching through the frontal debris disk surrounding Vega, one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Webb used the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to obtain images of the circumstellar disk around Vega. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / S. Wolff, University of Arizona / K. Su, University of Arizona / A. Gáspár, University of Arizona.

Vega is a young, massive star located about 25 light-years away in the constellation Lyra.

This star is classified as type A. This is the name of stars that tend to be larger, younger, and rotate much faster than the Sun.

Vega, also known as Alpharilla, Gliese 721, and HD 172167, is 455 million years old and has a mass equal to two solar masses.

It rotates around its axis every 16 hours. This is much faster than the Sun, which has a rotation period measured in 27 Earth days.

Vega is legendary because it provided the first evidence of matter orbiting a star.

this was the first made a hypothesis However, it took more than 200 years before the first observational evidence was collected in 1984.

A mysterious excess of infrared radiation from warm dust has been detected by NASA's Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS). It was interpreted to be a shell or disk of dust extending from the star to twice Pluto's orbital radius.

In the new study, astronomers analyzed images of Vega's debris disk taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.

“Vega was one of the first typical planetary debris disks to be discovered,” Dr. Kate Hsu of the University of Arizona and colleagues said in their paper. paper Introducing the results of a web survey.

“This opens up a wide field of research, which is now being used to identify relatively low-mass exoplanets that are unreachable with other discovery techniques, as well as to reveal detailed properties of small bodies in other planetary systems. It is used in

“Vega continues to be an anomaly,” added Dr. Schuyler Wolf, an astronomer at the University of Arizona and lead author of the paper. paper Introducing Hubble's discoveries.

“The structure of the Vega system is markedly different from our solar system, where giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn prevent dust from dispersing like Vega.”

“For comparison, there is a nearby star called Fomalhaut, which is about the same distance, age, and temperature as Vega.”

“However, Fomalhaut's circumstellar structure is very different from Vega's. Fomalhaut has three nested debris belts.”

“Exoplanets have been suggested to be bodies that guide the dust around Fomalhaut, which gravitationally compresses it into a ring, but no planets have yet been positively identified.”

“Given the physical similarities between Vega and Fomalhaut's stars, why does Fomalhat appear to be able to form planets, but Vega not?” George Rieke, also of the University of Arizona The doctor said:

“What's the difference? Did the circumstellar environment, or the star itself, make the difference? What's puzzling is that the same physics is at work in both,” Wolff added.

Hubble used the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) to obtain this image of the circumstellar disk around Vega. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / S. Wolff, University of Arizona / K. Su, University of Arizona / A. Gáspár, University of Arizona.

Webb observed the infrared glow from a disk of sand-sized particles swirling around a scorching blue-white star that is 40 times brighter than the Sun.

Hubble captures the disk's outer halo, which contains smoke-sized particles that reflect starlight.

The distribution of dust within Vega's debris disk is layered. This is because the pressure of the star's light pushes smaller particles out faster than larger ones.

“Between the Hubble and Webb telescopes, we get a very clear view of Vega,” said Dr. András Gaspard, an astronomer at the University of Arizona and co-author of both papers.

“This is a mysterious system because it is unlike any other circumstellar disk we have observed.”

“Vega discs are smooth. Incredibly smooth.”

The Vega disk has a subtle gap about 60 AU (astronomical units) from the star (twice the distance of Neptune from the Sun), but otherwise it is very smooth the entire time until it disappears into the star's glare. is.

This indicates that there are no planets, at least up to the mass of Neptune, orbiting large orbits like our solar system.

“We are looking in detail at how much diversity there is in the circumstellar disk and how that diversity is tied to the underlying planetary system,” Dr. Hsu said.

“Even if we can't see what the hidden planets are, we’re still discovering a lot about planetary systems.”

“There are still many unknowns about the process of planet formation, but we think these new observations from Vega will help constrain models of planet formation.”

The two papers are astrophysical journal.

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Kate Y.L. Sue others. 2024. Imaging the Vega debris system using JWST/MIRI. APJin press. arXiv: 2410.23636

Skylar G. Wolf others. 2024. Hubble Space Telescope probes deep into the scattered light dust ring around Vega. APJin press. arXiv: 2410.24042

Source: www.sci.news

Planetary scientists suggest ‘Nanoparticle heating’ could raise temperatures on Mars

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One-third of Mars’ surface has shallow groundwater, but it is currently too cold for life to harness it. Proposals to use greenhouse gases to heat Mars require large amounts of raw materials that are scarce on the Martian surface. But a new study shows that artificial aerosols made from materials readily available on Mars (such as conductive nanorods about 9 micrometers long) could heat Mars more than 5,000 times more effectively than the best gases.

This artist’s impression shows what Mars looked like about 4 billion years ago. Image credit: M. Kornmesser / ESO.

Mars geoengineering is a concept that frequently appears in science fiction.

But real-world researchers are also investigating techniques that could melt and release frozen groundwater, potentially making the Martian environment more hospitable to life.

Many of these strategies involve warming through greenhouse gases, but the Earth lacks the ingredients needed to produce them.

“A once habitable Martian surface is crossed by dry river valleys, but the current icy soil is too cold for Earth-derived life,” said Dr Samaneh Ansari of Northwestern University and his colleagues.

“Rivers may have flowed as far back as 600,000 years ago, suggesting the beginnings of a habitable planet.”

“Many methods have been proposed to heat the Martian surface by closing the spectral window centered on wavelengths of 22 and 10 micrometers, through which the surface would be cooled by thermal infrared radiation rising into space.”

“Modern Mars has a thin carbon dioxide atmosphere that provides a greenhouse effect of only 5 Kelvin through absorption in the 15 micrometer wavelength range, and Mars clearly lacks sufficient condensed or mineralized carbon dioxide to restore a temperate climate,” the researchers said.

“It is possible to close the spectral window using man-made greenhouse gases (e.g. chlorofluorocarbons), but this would require volatilizing about 100,000 megatons of fluorine, which is only present in trace amounts on the Martian surface.”

“An alternative approach is suggested by natural Martian dust aerosols, which are, after all, the result of the slow breakdown of iron-rich minerals on the Martian surface.”

“Due to its small size (effective radius of 1.5 micrometers), Martian dust rises to high altitudes (at an altitude of 15-25 km, where the dust mass mixing ratio peaks) and is consistently visible in the Martian sky, present at altitudes of up to 60 km or more.”

“Natural Martian dust aerosols reduce daytime surface temperatures because the composition and shape properties of man-made dust can be modified. For example, nanorods, which are about half the wavelength of upwelling thermal infrared light, should interact strongly with that infrared light.”

In the new paper, Dr Ansari and his co-authors propose an alternative strategy for heating Mars: aerosolizing 9-micrometre-long nanorods made from iron and aluminium, which are available on Mars.

The bars are about the same size as natural Martian dust — essentially a bit smaller than glitter — and should fly up into the air when dispersed.

However, other properties of the rod-shaped material mean it should settle 10 times slower than natural dust.

The researchers evaluated their proposal using a version of the MarsWRF global climate model and another complementary 1D model.

The study found that these bars amplify the amount of sunlight reaching the Martian surface and prevent heat from escaping.

In fact, a sustained release of 30 liters of nanorods per second could warm the entire planet by more than 30 Kelvin above baseline temperature, enough to melt the ice.

After a few months, atmospheric pressure will rise by 20%, creating conditions to initiate a feedforward loop involving the volatilization of carbon dioxide.

It’s worth noting that the nanorod process will still take centuries, and Mars certainly won’t be a suitable place for human habitation.

“The increase in Martian temperature alone will not be sufficient to make the Martian surface habitable for oxygenic photosynthetic organisms,” the scientists said.

“On the other hand, establishing a photosynthetic biosphere on the Martian surface, possibly with the help of synthetic biology, might increase the chances of human thriving in the solar system.”

Team work Published in today’s journal Scientific advances.

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Samaneh Ansari others2024. Nanoparticles could keep Mars warm. Scientific advances 10(32);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn4650

Source: www.sci.news

Giant Shield Volcano Found on Mars by Planetary Scientists

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The newly discovered volcano, tentatively designated Noctis Mons, is located in the eastern part of Mars, just south of the equator. noctis labyrinthwest of Valles Marineris, the planet's vast canyon system.

Noctis Mons. Image credit: NASA / USGS / Lee other.

Mount Noctis reaches an altitude of 9,022 m (29,600 ft) and is 450 km (280 miles) wide.

Its enormous size and complex modification history indicate that it has been active for a very long time.

To its southeast are thin recent volcanic deposits, beneath which glaciers may still exist.

The combined potential of this giant volcanic and glacial ice discovery is an exciting prospect for studying Mars' geological evolution over time, searching for life, and exploring it in the future using robots and humans. important because it marks a new location.

“While investigating the geology of the area where glacier debris was discovered last year, we found ourselves inside a huge, deeply eroded volcano,” said the SETI Institute and Mars Planetary Scientists. Dr. Pascal Lee said. Laboratory based at NASA Ames Research Center.

Taken together, several clues reveal the volcanic nature of this eastern portion of the Noctis Labyrinth, a jumble of layered mesas and canyons.

The central summit area is characterized by several raised mesas forming an arc, reaching the highest regional heights and descending away from the summit area.

The outer, gentle slopes extend 225 km (140 miles) away in various directions.

The remains of a caldera, a collapsed volcanic crater that once contained a lava lake, can be seen near the center of the structure.

Lava flows, pyroclastic flow deposits (consisting of volcanic particulate material such as ash, cinders, pumice, and tephra), and hydrated mineral deposits occur in several areas around the structure.

“This region of Mars is known to contain a wide variety of hydrated minerals spanning Mars' long history,” says Saurabh Shubham, a graduate student at the University of Maryland.

“These minerals have long been suspected of being in a volcanic environment. So finding a volcano here may not be all that surprising.”

“In a way, this big volcano is the clincher that has been long awaited.”

Topographic map of Noctis Mons. Image credit: Lee other.

In addition to the volcano, the authors found 5,000 km2 (1930 square miles) of volcanic deposits surrounding the volcano, including numerous low, round, elongated, blister-like hills.

This blistered landform is formed by an area of ​​rootless cone, i.e., when a thin blanket of hot volcanic material comes to rest on a water- or ice-rich surface, caused by explosive steam ejection or steam expansion. It is interpreted as a generated hill.

Mount Noctis has a long and complex history of modification, likely through a combination of destruction, thermal erosion, and glacial erosion.

“In fact, it's the combination of factors that makes the Noctis volcanic site so exciting,” Dr. Lee said.

“This volcano is an ancient, long-lived volcano, and it's so deeply eroded that it's hard to hike, drive through, or fly to examine different parts of the volcano's interior, take samples, and date it. “We can study the evolution of Mars over time.”

“It also has a long history of heat interacting with water and ice, making it a prime location for astrobiology and the search for signs of life.”

“Finally, glaciers are likely still preserved near the surface in Mars' relatively warm equatorial regions, making this site a very attractive location for robotic and human exploration.”

The researchers announced that their discoveries Today is 55th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference Located in The Woodlands, Texas, USA.

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Pascal Lee other. Massive eroded volcanic complex and buried glacial ice in the eastern Noctis Labyrinth: evidence of recent volcanic activity and glaciation near the Martian equator. LPSC 2024Abstract #2745

Source: www.sci.news

Massive star ultraviolet radiation influences nearby planetary systems

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Astronomers have known for decades that the powerful light emitted by massive stars can disrupt planetary disks of dust and gas that swirl around young stars, the cradles of planetary birth. However, important questions remained unanswered. How fast does this process occur and will there be enough material left to form a planet?

NASA/ESA/CSA Using the James Webb Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers are now discovering the Orion Nebula, a nursery for stars, and specifically the protoplanetary disk named d203-506. I’m researching. Although it was confined to a small area, it exploded to an abnormally large size. This makes it possible to measure material loss rates with unprecedented precision.

bernet other. We observed the protoplanetary disk d203-506 illuminated by the far-ultraviolet rays of the Orion Nebula.Image credit: Berne other., doi: 10.1126/science.adh2861.

Young, low-mass stars are often surrounded by relatively short-lived protoplanetary disks of dust and gas, which are the raw materials for planet formation.

Therefore, the formation of gas giant planets is limited by processes that remove mass from the protoplanetary disk, such as photoevaporation.

Photoevaporation occurs when the upper layers of a protoplanetary disk are heated by X-rays or ultraviolet protons, raising the temperature of the gas and ejecting it from the system.

Because most low-mass stars form in clusters that also include high-mass stars, protoplanetary disks are expected to be exposed to external radiation and experience photoevaporation due to ultraviolet radiation.

Theoretical models predict that deep ultraviolet light creates a region of photodissociation, a region where ultraviolet photons projected from nearby massive stars strongly influence the gas chemistry on the surface of the protoplanetary disk. However, it has been difficult to observe these processes directly.

Dr. Thomas Howarth of Queen Mary University of London and his colleagues investigated the effects of ultraviolet irradiation using a combination of infrared, submillimeter wave, and optical observations of the protoplanetary disk d203-506 in the Orion Nebula using the Webb and ALMA telescopes.

By modeling the kinematics and excitation of the emission lines detected within the photodissociation region, they found that d203-506 loses mass rapidly due to heating and ionization by deep ultraviolet light.

According to the research team, the rate at which this mass is lost from d203-506 indicates that gas could be removed from the disk within a million years, suppressing the ability of gas giants to form within the system. It is said that there is.

“This is a truly exceptional case study,” said Dr Howarth, co-author of the paper. paper It was published in the magazine science.

“The results are clear: this young star is losing a staggering 20 Earth masses of material per year, suggesting that Jupiter-like planets are unlikely to form in this system.” .”

“The velocities we measured are in perfect agreement with theoretical models and give us confidence in understanding how different environments shape planet formation across the universe.”

“Unlike other known cases, this young star is exposed to only one type of ultraviolet light from a nearby massive star.”

“Because there is no 'hot cocoon' created by higher-energy ultraviolet light, the planet-forming material is larger and easier to study.”

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Olivier Verne other. 2024. Photoevaporation flow caused by far ultraviolet rays observed in a protoplanetary disk. science 383 (6686): 988-992; doi: 10.1126/science.adh2861

Source: www.sci.news

Hydrogen Cyanide Detected in Enceladus’ Plume by Planetary Researchers

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Using data from NASA’s Cassini mission, planetary scientists have detected several compounds critical to the habitability of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, including hydrogen cyanide, acetylene, propylene, and ethane. . These compounds may support living microbial communities or drive complex organic syntheses leading to the origin of life.

Diagram of Enceladus’ plume activity.Image credit: Peter other., doi: 10.1038/s41550-023-02160-0.

“Our study provides further evidence that Enceladus hosts some of the most important molecules for both producing the building blocks of life and sustaining life through metabolic reactions,” said Harvard University Ph.D. said Jonah Peter, a student in the program.

“Not only does Enceladus appear to meet the basic requirements for habitability, but we are also wondering how complex biomolecules are formed there and what kinds of chemical pathways are involved. I got an idea about it.”

“The discovery of hydrogen cyanide was particularly exciting because it is the starting point for most theories about the origin of life.”

As we know, life requires building blocks such as amino acids, and hydrogen cyanide is one of the most important and versatile molecules required for the formation of amino acids.

Peter and his colleagues refer to hydrogen cyanide as the Swiss Army knife of amino acid precursors because its molecules stack up in different ways.

“The more we tested alternative models and tried to poke holes in the results, the stronger the evidence became,” Peter said.

“Ultimately, it became clear that there was no way to match the plume composition without including hydrogen cyanide.”

Saturn’s moon Enceladus with plumes. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SSI / Kevin M. Gill.

In 2017, planetary scientists discovered evidence of chemistry on Enceladus that could help sustain life in the ocean, if it exists.

The combination of carbon dioxide, methane, and hydrogen in the plume suggested methanogenesis, a metabolic process that produces methane.

This process is widespread on Earth and may have been important for the origin of life on Earth.

Peter and his co-authors found evidence for additional energetic chemical sources that are far more powerful and diverse than methane production.

They discovered a series of oxidized organic compounds, showing scientists that Enceladus’ underground ocean potentially has many chemical pathways to support life. That’s because oxidation promotes the release of chemical energy.

“If methane production is like a small clock battery in terms of energy, then our findings suggest that Enceladus’ ocean could provide large amounts of energy for any life that might exist. This suggests that we may be able to provide something similar to car batteries,” said Dr. Kevin Hand, a researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Unlike previous studies that used laboratory experiments and geochemical modeling to recreate the conditions Cassini found on Enceladus, the authors relied on detailed statistical analysis.

They examined data collected by Cassini’s ion and neutral mass spectrometers, which study the gas, ions, and ice grains around Saturn.

By quantifying the amount of information contained in the data, the authors were able to uncover subtle differences in how well different compounds explain the Cassini signal.

“There are a lot of potential puzzle pieces that can be put together when trying to reconcile observed data,” Peter said.

“We used mathematics and statistical modeling to identify the combination of puzzle pieces that best matched the plume’s composition and made the most of the data without over-interpreting the limited data set.”

of findings It was published in the magazine natural astronomy.

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JS Peter other. Detection of HCN and diverse redox chemistries in Enceladus plumes. Nat Astron, published online on December 14, 2023. doi: 10.1038/s41550-023-02160-0

Source: www.sci.news