A new model by a SwRI-led team applies geologic evidence to understand how oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere evolved. The results indicate that large impacts may have contributed to the scarcity of oxygen, delaying its oxidation.
The special issue covers observations of exoplanet geology, composition, atmosphere, and potential habitability. SwRI researchers Dr. Natalie Hinkel and Dr. Cayman Unterborn collaborated with Dr. Oliver Shorttle to create a diverse overview of exoplanets, making it accessible to a wide community of scientists.
A new study by Dr. Benjamin Byron demonstrates the ability of the Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project to determine the composition of lunar surface areas using far-UV light reflectance. This method normalizes surface maturity features, revealing a close correlation with composition maps from other regions.
Researchers used extensive 2D and 3D broadband seismic reflection data to visualize and understand the subsurface structures of the Orphan Basin. The study provides context for future assessments of source rock, reservoir, and seal strata in oil and gas exploration.
Researchers found that large asteroids from the outer half of the main asteroid belt strike Earth at least 10 times more often than previously calculated
Southwest Research Institute will create a searchable database of additive manufacturing projects and components. This project utilizes novel data management tools to help engineers review previous projects and learn from others' designs.
Researchers at Southwest Research Institute are developing a cost-effective method for harvesting water from atmospheric air using silica gel beads. This approach can capture water vapor molecules at low humidity levels, making it a promising solution for communities with limited access to clean water.
Southwest Research Institute is developing an AI-based integrated corridor management decision support system for the Tennessee Department of Transportation. The system uses machine learning algorithms to optimize traffic flow and improve collaboration among transportation agencies.
Researchers suggest that worlds with interior water ocean worlds (IWOWs) are more habitable due to protection by layers of ice and rock, shielding life against threats. This concept expands the search for life beyond Earth-like planets.
Research reveals that airborne dust plumes are produced by sliding blocks of dry ice each spring, which kick up sand and dust along the way. This process carves and modifies linear gullies on the slopes of a Martian sand dune.
Scientists have imaged a rare bolide, an extremely bright meteoroid explosion, in Jupiter's upper atmosphere using the Ultraviolet Spectrograph on board the Juno spacecraft. The event was observed for just 17 milliseconds and had distinct spectral characteristics different from the planet's auroras.
A Southwest Research Institute scientist has updated Mars chronology models to suggest that terrains shaped by ancient water activity on the planet's surface may be hundreds of millions of years older than previously thought. The new model also provides a revised age for Isidis Basin, now estimated to be 4-4.2 billion years old.
A research team led by Dr. Vicky Hamilton has identified a potentially new meteorite parent asteroid through analysis of the Almahata Sitta meteorite. The study suggests that the parent body was an asteroid roughly the size of Ceres, formed in the presence of water under intermediate temperatures and pressures.
Scientists at Southwest Research Institute modeled chemical processes in Enceladus' subsurface ocean, indicating the possibility of a diverse microbial community. The study found that oxidant production and oxidation chemistry could contribute to supporting possible life on Enceladus.
Asteroid Bennu's surface boulders hold secrets to its 1.75 million-year history, which scientists studied through impact crater analysis. The findings provide crucial context for the returned sample, allowing researchers to understand the asteroid's geology and composition.
The study provides new insights into the asteroid's composition, suggesting it may be a dense, metallic object made of iron and nickel. The findings also indicate that oxidation is occurring on the surface, which could be a result of solar wind interaction.
SPARTA assesses military aircraft electronic countermeasures technologies to ensure accurate targeting information. The system provides automated and manual real-time EW analysis, achieving a 99+% detection rate in highly congested spectrums.
The LCR robot can remove full-range aircraft coatings layer-by-layer, shortening processing time by up to 80% and reducing cost-per aircraft. It is compatible with all types of aircraft and helicopters, and can also be used for off-airframe parts.
SwRI scientists studied the color, reflectivity, age, composition, origin and distribution of materials on asteroid Bennu's surface. The mission discovered carbon-bearing compounds and minerals containing or formed by water, which will help determine the scenarios that best explain Bennu's surface composition.
A new study reveals the binary nature of a trans-Neptunian object, with two objects orbiting each other only 350 kilometers apart. The discovery was made possible by the Research and Education Collaborative Occultation Network (RECON), a citizen science project.
Researchers using SwRI instruments aboard the ESA's Rosetta spacecraft discovered a unique aurora at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, revealing the comet's interaction with solar particles. The detection was made possible by integrating multi-instrument data, providing new insights into cometary auroras.
The CODEX instrument uses ablation lasers and mass spectrometry to determine rock ages with precision ±20-80 million years, significantly more accurate than current methods. The miniaturized version will enable faster data acquisition on lander missions to the Moon or Mars.
A Southwest Research Institute scientist modeled Mars' atmosphere to determine that salty pockets of water on the Red Planet are unlikely to be habitable by Earth-based life. The study found stable brines could form seasonally, but temperatures are too low to support life.
A study by SwRI found that US and French-furnished rooms reached flashover in 5-6 minutes, while the UK room took 22 minutes. The UK furniture had more fire-retardant protection and lower smoke toxicity.
Scientists modeled early impact events on Mars, revealing a heterogeneous mantle and challenging previous estimates of the planet's formation time. The new research provides insight into the Red Planet's evolution and composition.
A SwRI-led team used data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe to identify low-energy particles near the Sun, likely originating from solar wind interactions beyond Earth orbit. The particles are thought to be created by stream interaction regions and can pose a radiation threat to space travelers and technology.
A new geochemical model suggests that Enceladus' subsurface ocean may be habitable due to chemical reactions at its seafloor, which could provide energy sources for life. The study reveals a complex core structure with diverse environments, including hydrothermal vents and carbonated rocks.
The AF-369 VHF/UHF terrestrial antenna increases useable bandwidth by 80%, providing accurate direction finding across a wide frequency range. This innovation reduces the overall cost and complexity of monitoring systems, enabling critical spatial awareness for intelligence analysts.
Southwest Research Institute successfully demonstrated a miniature solar observatory on a high-altitude balloon, collecting 75 minutes of solar images. The SwRI Solar Instrument Pointing Platform provides optical precision equivalent to imaging a dime from a mile away, supporting the development of custom solar instruments.
The Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has received additional funding to develop a novel bioreactor for stem cell and CAR T-cell manufacturing, which could revolutionize personalized regenerative medicine.
SwRI engineers conducted a series of tests to study hypersonic flight conditions using a light gas gun system. The research elucidated the effects of extreme heat on materials and geometries at speeds over Mach 10.
A new algorithm combines the capabilities of two spacecraft instruments, enabling lower-cost and higher-efficiency space missions. The virtual super instrument uses deep learning to analyze ultraviolet images and synthesize useful scientific data.
The book, titled "The Edwards Aquifer: The Past, Present and Future of a Vital Water Resource", compiles research on the aquifer's characterization, hydrogeologic structure, and effects of climate and urbanization. Understanding the aquifer's limitations is key to preserving the resource for future generations.
SwRI's team will develop a more accurate and cost-effective model to predict failure and cracking in combat situations. The goal is to create tougher and safer vehicles for soldiers by improving the Army's daily modeling process.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team studied the orientation of distant solar system bodies in binary pairs, providing insights into planet formation. Most Kuiper Belt objects (80%) orbit in a prograde direction, contradicting theories on binary formation and supporting the streaming instability hypothesis.
ActiveVision enables transportation agencies to autonomously detect and report traffic condition changes using machine learning algorithms. The tool integrates with existing cameras and infrastructure, providing actionable data for enhanced intelligent transportation systems.
Dr. Kelsi Singer has been awarded the 2019 Harold C. Urey Prize for her outstanding contributions to planetary research, particularly in impact cratering and the geology of icy worlds. Her work has revealed insights into the collisional history of the Kuiper Belt and planetesimal formation.
The system will feature a shallow and deep water vehicle designed to connect with disabled submarines, allowing for the rescue of people trapped on board. The remotely operated submarine rescue vehicle is designed to prevent decompression sickness by matching the pressure of the disabled submarine.
Researchers at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) are developing a system to automate methane leak detection using drones equipped with infrared cameras and machine learning algorithms. The system can identify small methane leaks and substantially reduces false positives, making it more effective than conventional detection systems.
Researchers at SwRI have developed a cyber security system to test for vulnerabilities in automated vehicles and other technologies that use GPS receivers. The system, which meets US federal regulations, can alter the course of a ground vehicle by up to 10 meters and forces it to turn early or late.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) leaders Adam L. Hamilton and Alan Stern will be inducted into the University of Texas at Austin's Academy of Distinguished Alumni. Dr. Norm Abramson, a retired SwRI Executive Vice President, also received recognition for his outstanding achievements.
The new sCO2 turbine can achieve a 50% efficiency, outperforming conventional CSP systems. It also boasts a compact size and scalability to 450 MW, making it ideal for fossil plant improvement and waste heat recovery.
SwRI leads largest-ever Hubble survey of the Kuiper Belt, focusing on binary populations and testing planetesimal formation theories. The Solar System Origins Legacy Survey aims to understand solar system architecture and planetary evolution.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team discovered evidence of abundant water-bearing minerals on the surface of asteroid Bennu using OSIRIS-REx spectral data. The findings are consistent with meteorites found on Earth and provide clues to the distribution and abundance of water in the early solar system.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team has discovered that the surface geology on asteroid Bennu is older than expected, with large impact craters and fractured boulders indicating ages of hundreds of millions of years. The OSIRIS-REx mission revealed ancient features on Bennu's surface while also showing signs of recent resurfacing.
The study reveals that water molecules migrate over the course of a day, with higher concentrations at higher latitudes. This new understanding of lunar hydration has significant implications for future human missions to the Moon, where water could be used as a source of fuel or radiation shielding.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team of scientists have discovered a lack of very small Kuiper Belt objects with crater counts on Pluto's satellite Charon indicating fewer impactors smaller than 1 mile in diameter than predicted. This finding has deep implications for our understanding of the solar system's origin and evolution.
A new study suggests that the 'cooking' of ancient organic material created Titan's thick nitrogen atmosphere. The research, led by Dr. Kelly Miller, proposes that approximately half of the nitrogen atmosphere could result from this process.
Researchers calculated lunar crater ages using thermal data and found a rate of large impacts two to three times higher on both bodies over the last 290 million years. This discovery challenges the theory that Earth's craters were worn away through erosion, instead suggesting a lower impact rate prior to 290 million years ago.
Researchers developed a new technique to visualize historic solar data, providing context for understanding the Sun's past and future. The study suggests that changes in solar activity may impact Earth's surface, with possible connections to climate change.