A new framework developed by FSU researchers accurately models subsurface waves that interfere with satellite readings, increasing the accuracy of ocean circulation observations by 60%.
Researchers use NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to analyze light passing through a distant, temperate gas giant planet's atmosphere, revealing methane and potentially other gases. The study provides insights into planetary formation and evolution, and could improve understanding of Earth's atmosphere.
Researchers predict that glaciers in High Mountain Asia may threaten future water security due to rapid melting caused by warming temperatures. The study found significant losses in glacier mass between 2002 and 2023, which could intensify short-term flood risks and reduce long-term meltwater availability.
Researchers created the highest resolution map of dark matter, showing its interaction with normal matter through gravity. The new data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope confirms previous research and provides new details about dark matter's influence on the Universe.
The UVS instrument collected data on the comet's composition, including oxygen, hydrogen, and dust-related features. The unique sunward viewpoint provided a downstream view of the comet's tails, allowing researchers to gain insights into its geometries.
Researchers reanalyze Cassini mission data to find that Titan's interior is more icy and slushy than previously thought, with implications for the search for life on Titan. The new findings suggest a slushy layer instead of an ocean, which could facilitate the growth of simple organisms.
Researchers at UC Irvine have identified stormlike circulation patterns beneath Antarctic ice shelves causing aggressive melting of Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers. The study found that these ephemeral processes account for nearly a fifth of total submarine melt variance, with implications for global sea level rise projections.
Dr. Christina Richey joins the SETI Institute with extensive experience in research management, strategic collaboration, and science leadership. She will focus on creating sustainable partnerships and funding opportunities to support the institute's long-term growth and mission.
A new study has revealed chemical signatures of ancient Martian microbial life in the Bright Angel formation, a region of Jezero Crater known for its fine-grained mudstones rich in oxidized iron and organic carbon. The findings suggest that early microorganisms may have played a role in shaping these rocks through redox reactions.
Researchers at Ohio State University suggest a large cloud of dust and gas occluded Earth's view of the star ASASSN-24fw, causing its brightness to dim by 97% before brightening again. The team proposes that this disk is likely made up of carbon or water ice close in size to a large grain of dust.
Researchers used SWOT satellite data to confirm that two mega tsunamis triggered by landslides caused trapped waves in the fjord. The study provides new insights into ocean extremes and how climate change affects remote areas.
A recent study using SWOT satellite data has revealed the existence of powerful submesoscale eddies in the ocean, which play a significant role in shaping the climate system. These smaller currents carry surprisingly large amounts of energy and influence marine food webs, weather patterns, and events like El Niño and La Niña.
A new study reveals that magnetar flares could be a potential source of heavy elements in the universe. By analyzing archival data and observations of magnetar flare events, researchers estimate that up to 10% of heavy elements like gold, uranium, and platinum may come from these cosmic explosions.
Asteroid Vesta's interior structure is more uniform than previously thought, contradicting decades-long assumptions about its composition and formation. The new findings suggest two possible hypotheses: incomplete differentiation or being a broken chunk of a growing planet.
A recent PNAS study suggested Mars has a significant amount of liquid water in its mid-crust, but LASP Senior Research Scientist Bruce Jakosky challenges this conclusion. Using InSight mission data, the team found that the presence of water is not required by the data.
The Lunar Thermal Mapper, built by researchers at the University of Oxford, will map surface temperature and composition of the lunar surface 12 times a day. The mission aims to shed light on the lunar water cycle and guide future robotic and human missions.
A new single-photon time-of-flight LiDAR system can acquire high-resolution 3D images of objects or scenes up to 1 kilometer away, offering improved surveillance and monitoring capabilities. The system uses a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector and achieves a higher spatial resolution than previous systems.
Radio data reveals jets of ionized gas extending from either side of the black hole, with a total size of about half a light-year. The observation suggests that the launch of a black hole jet has never been observed before in real time, providing critical clues to why only a fraction of monster black holes produce powerful plasma jets.
The Juno mission has discovered that Io's volcanoes are likely fueled by their own chambers of roiling hot magma rather than an ocean of magma. This finding solves a long-standing mystery about the moon's subsurface origins and provides new insights into Io's volcanic activity.
A team of Caltech researchers has developed an algorithm called Spectral Expansion Tree Search (SETS) that enables autonomous robots to determine the best movements to make as they navigate the real world. SETS uses control theory and linear algebra to find natural motions that use a robotic platform's capabilities to its fullest extent.
David Stanley's research uses a mixed integer linear program solver to optimize satellite pointing angles for efficient cloud imaging. The study simulates multiple satellites and clouds to understand convection transport effects on regrowth of new clouds, with potential implications for greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers at Purdue University and NASA believe Ceres has a dirty ice crust and was once a muddy ocean world. The team used computer simulations to show that ice can be much stronger than previously predicted, contradicting the previous belief that Ceres was relatively dry.
Researchers have found a new mechanism for the formation of impermeable horizontal ice layers below the surface of ice sheets, which could improve estimates of sea level rise. This process is critical for determining the contribution of ice sheet meltwater to sea level rise.
The Event Horizon Telescope has achieved the highest resolution ever obtained from Earth, detecting light from the centers of distant galaxies at a frequency of 345 GHz. This allows for multi-color views of the region immediately outside the boundary of cosmic beasts, revealing new properties about supermassive black holes.
Researchers at UCLA and NASA's JPL found that the 2023 Rolling Hills Estates landslide was a slow-moving, progressive event that began with heavy winter rainfall. The study used satellite data to measure ground motion over time, revealing subtle movements before accelerated collapse.
A team of researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope has detected signs of an atmosphere around 55 Cancri e, a rocky exoplanet. The planet's surface is estimated to be molten, but the team believes it may have a secondary atmosphere that could provide insights into habitable planets.
Researchers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have detected atmospheric gases surrounding 55 Cancri e, a hot rocky exoplanet. The discovery provides evidence for the existence of any rocky planet atmosphere outside our solar system, a long-standing mystery in exoplanet characterization.
An international team of scientists has made the first clear evidence of Criegee intermediate reactions driving secondary organic aerosol formation in the troposphere. The findings significantly expand our understanding of one potentially significant pathway for SOA formation.
A team of researchers has successfully tested a new asteroid detection algorithm, HelioLinc3D, which identified its first 'potentially hazardous' asteroid, 2022 SF289. The discovery confirms the algorithm's effectiveness in finding near-Earth asteroids with fewer and more dispersed observations than traditional methods.
The NANOGrav team has detected a collective hum of gravitational waves from merging supermassive black holes, providing evidence for a background undulation in spacetime. The signal is thought to be generated by huge black holes at galaxy centers, producing low-frequency gravitational waves that oscillate slowly over years and decades.
The InVADER Mission successfully deployed a high-tech laser laboratory on the ocean floor, marking a paradigm shift in ocean research and exploration. The Laser Divebot collects compositional data without disturbing the environment, removing the need for physical samples.
Astronomers have detected a surprisingly large water vapor plume spanning over 6,000 miles from Saturn's moon Enceladus using the James Webb Space Telescope. The plume extends far beyond its release region at the southern pole and feeds the torus of Saturn's outermost ring, with 30% of the water staying within it.
The new spectrometer designs provide high spectral resolution and low spatial resolution, enabling the study of the Earth's atmosphere or other planets' atmospheres. The designs combine desirable features from several existing designs, reducing size and cost.
Researchers at UCI and NASA JPL find that Petermann Glacier's grounding line shifts during tidal cycles, allowing warm seawater to melt ice at accelerated rates. This interaction makes glaciers more sensitive to ocean warming, increasing projections of sea level rise by up to 200%.
Researchers attribute unusual radar properties to coherent backscatter opposition effect (CBOE) and ice surface irregularities. The CBOE model, improved by Hofgartner and Hand, can explain all icy satellite radar properties.
A new study introduces a scale to measure atmospheric river intensity, enabling the identification of hotspots for the most intense events worldwide. The scale helps communities prepare for both beneficial and destructive effects of these storms, with AR-5 events occurring only once every two to three years.
Researchers studied Ingenuity's historic flights on Mars to calculate dust cloud size and mass. The results supported engineering models, paving the way for future extraterrestrial rotorcraft missions.
Researchers have developed a new detector that can precisely measure single photons at very high rates, enabling practical high-speed quantum communication. The PEACOQ detector is made of superconducting nanowires and operates at extremely cold temperatures, allowing for precise measurement of photon arrival times.
Astronomers using Hubble observed a star's final moments as it was gobbled up by a black hole, creating a donut-shaped torus. The event provides forensic clues to the black hole homicide, with details on the debris's behavior and the accretion rate.
Scientists have identified a new Earth-size world, TOI 700 e, orbiting within the habitable zone of its star, making it an exciting prospect for further study. The planet is likely rocky and might be tidally locked, offering insights into our solar system's history.
A new study suggests that an orbiting space probe could provide definitive answers about the presence of life on Enceladus' ocean. The team mapped out how a hypothetical mission could gather data from the moon's plumes, which are thought to contain organic molecules and methane.
Astronomers using Hubble Space Telescope data found a small but significant excess of light in the sky, equivalent to the glow of 10 fireflies. This residual glow could be caused by a tenuous sphere of dust from comets falling into the solar system, adding a new component to the known architecture of the solar system.
Researchers developed a new lidar technique using 3D flash lidar combined with super-resolution algorithm for hazard avoidance during landing. The technique improved the precision and safety of robotic vehicles on Mars, enabling them to navigate through challenging environments.
The NASA Deep Space Optical Communications project has successfully demonstrated a new type of laser system that can transmit large amounts of data, including high-definition images and video, through space. The system uses a combination of flight and ground-based lasers to establish an optical link between spacecraft and Earth.
Researchers have developed an algorithm to detect pressure activity indicative of dust devils in the Mojave Desert, which can inform their formation and life cycles on Mars. The study aims to improve Martian weather models and enhance robotic missions.
A study at Europlanet Science Congress 2022 found that super-thin planet nurseries can accelerate the formation of big planets. The team observed a remarkably thin disc of dust and gas around a young star, where large particles settled into a dense midplane, creating conditions favourable for planetary growth.
Julie Castillo-Rogez and Martin Jutzi have made significant contributions to understanding asteroids, including their origins and dynamical evolution. Their work has advanced our knowledge of asteroids, from small bodies to planetary scales, with implications for ongoing space missions.
A new model suggests Antarctica's ice shelves are melting at an accelerated rate due to the Antarctic Coastal Current. Freshwater from melting ice can trap warm ocean water beneath the shelves, causing them to melt further. This mechanism could increase sea level rise predictions by up to 40%.
A team of researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory sent a tiny piece of Washington state soil into space to study how it behaves in microgravity. The experiment, called DynaMoS, aims to understand the dynamics of microbial communities and their role in plant growth, with implications for growing food on other celestial bodies.
Researchers developed a smartphone app that harnesses weather forecasting data to provide individuals with a granular understanding of their COVID-19 risk. The app would blend various types of data, including surveillance testing and wearable sensor data, to forecast the spread of disease across a network of human contacts.
A new study by University of Leicester researchers reveals Neptune's atmospheric temperatures have dropped by roughly 8 degrees Celsius between 2003 and 2018, with unexpected stratospheric warming at the south pole. The cause of these changes is currently unknown, but may be related to seasonal variations in atmospheric chemistry.
Planetary scientist Roger Wiens has equipped the Perseverance rover with a microphone and laser technology to analyze rocks and record sounds on Mars. This innovation opens up new avenues for research, including studying Martian geology, wind patterns, and dust devils.
Researchers using ALMA and Hubble Space Telescope observe V Hydrae, a carbon-rich star, expelling matter in six slowly-expanding rings and two hourglass-shaped structures. The discovery confirms the traditional model of AGB star death is incomplete or incorrect.
Astrophysicists have witnessed the death throes of a red giant star named V Hydrae, which is expelling six slowly expanding molecular rings and an hourglass-shaped structure into space. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about star deaths, suggesting that the traditional model may be incomplete or incorrect.
Researchers at UCI and NASA's JPL found that glacier grounding lines retreated at alarming rates, up to 12 km/year, due to high melt rates of floating ice in the Amundsen Sea Embayment. This process reduces basal resistance, speeding up glacier retreat.
A recent study using ICESat-2 data found that Arctic sea ice has lost 16% of its winter volume in just three years, with seasonal sea ice replacing thicker multiyear ice. This significant thinning trend is expected to continue, potentially leading to ice-free summers in the Arctic by mid-century.
Researchers have found evidence for two supermassive black holes orbiting each other every two years, with masses hundreds of millions times larger than our sun. The quasar's radio-light brightness exhibits sinusoidal variations due to the pair's motion, providing a nearly perfect light curve.
Several NASA individuals were recognized by the American Geophysical Union as 2021 union honorees for their outstanding work in scientific research, education, communication, and outreach. Brooke Medley received the Cryosphere Early Career Award, while Suresh Adhikari was honored with the John Wahr Early Career Award.
A team of scientists measured the masses of two young giant planets in a 20 million-year-old system, finding they reached their final size at an early stage of evolution. This challenges current models, suggesting that giant planets can contract and mature rapidly.
Scientists analyzing rocks from Mars' Jezero Crater floor discovered extensive weathering and alteration caused by water, suggesting a window of time when the planet may have been habitable. The findings also support the possibility of ancient Martian life.