Articles tagged with Astrophysical Processes
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Astronomers have charted the largest-ever volume of the universe with a new map of active supermassive black holes, logging 1.3 million quasars in space and time. This map allows scientists to study dark matter and the universe's expansion by comparing distant quasars and their host galaxies.
Scientists use machine learning algorithms to model atomic masses of nuclide chart, complementing research on nuclear structure and astrophysical processes. The approach enables physics-based extrapolations and provides information on 'missing physics'.
A team of UCF scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze the elemental composition of a binary duo in the Kuiper Belt, revealing clues about Neptune's formation. The study provides valuable insights into the dynamical history of Neptune and its neighboring objects.
Researchers have detected tellurium in a kilonova afterglow, indicating that neutron star mergers can create rare heavy elements. This discovery sheds light on the formation of elements heavier than iron and provides new insights into the universe's chemical composition.
Auburn University researchers are using a $400K NSF award to study the ionization and recombination of heavy elements in kilonovae, shedding light on their origins. The team's calculations will help determine which elements were produced in neutron star mergers.
Researchers led by Bruno Arsioli have observed a non-uniform distribution of high-energy photons in the Sun's gamma-ray emissions, with polar regions emitting more radiation than expected. This finding suggests a possible link between cosmic rays and the solar magnetic field, which could inform space weather forecasts.
Scientists simulated the runaway greenhouse effect, transforming habitable climates into hostile environments, with significant changes in atmospheric structure and cloud coverage. The study provides key insights for the search of life elsewhere, as it demonstrates a critical water vapor threshold beyond which a planet cannot cool down.
Researchers developed a machine learning technique to identify superluminous galaxies with massive black holes at their core. The algorithm predicts intense radio signals from these galaxies, which could provide insights into the physical phenomena of the early Universe.
Researchers discover substantial presence of frozen carbon monoxide in 'The Brick', a mysterious dark region at the Milky Way's center. The findings indicate a critical need to re-evaluate established theories regarding star formation.
A team of Princeton astrophysicists has conclusively determined that the energy close to the event horizon of black hole M87* is pushing outward, not inward. This finding resolves a longstanding debate within the field and provides new insights into the behavior of black holes.
Researchers have created a three-dimensional computer simulation of the light emitted following a neutron star merger, producing results similar to an observed kilonova. The simulation takes into account various processes and material interactions, enabling predictions for any viewing direction.
A young star cluster, IRS13, has been found to be significantly younger than expected, with stars only 100,000 years old, despite being near the supermassive black hole Sgr A*. The cluster's turbulent history suggests it was 'captured' by the black hole's gravity, leading to a bow shock and increased star formation.
Scientists propose that pulsars could detect dark matter by observing a subtle additional glow. If axions are produced in strong electromagnetic fields around pulsars, they could convert into observable light.
Astronomers have created the first computer simulations showing how convection in the cores of massive stars generates waves that result in flickering starlight. The effect is different from the visible twinkling of stars in the night sky and could be observed with improved telescopes.
Research suggests that larger cosmic dust aggregates are less likely to stick together after collisions. This limits the growth of planetary building blocks, complicating the process of planet formation. Simulations reveal that size is a critical factor in determining sticking probability, with larger aggregates more prone to bouncing.
Researchers from Ohio State University found that some low-mass stars have unexpectedly strong surface magnetic fields, which could intensify their radiation for billions of years. This discovery challenges current models of stellar evolution and has important implications for the search for life on other planets.
Researchers have found a source for the mysterious alignment of planetary nebulae near the Galactic Centre, attributing it to close binary stars. The study confirms the alignment but also reveals that specific groups of planets are responsible.
The Vlasiator model demonstrated that two central theories on plasma eruptions in near-Earth space are simultaneously valid: magnetic reconnection and kinetic instabilities. This finding helps understand how these events occur and improves the predictability of space weather.
Princeton researchers used data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe to determine that a catastrophic event, such as a high-speed collision or gaseous explosion, likely created the Geminids meteoroid stream. This is in contrast to most meteor showers, which originate from comets emitting tails of ice and dust.
A group of scientists from the JIHT, HSE and MIPT have developed a novel solution: OpenDust, a fast, open-source code that performs calculations ten times faster than existing analogues. The algorithm uses multiple GPUs simultaneously to accelerate computations.
Researchers at Ohio State University found that the shells of galactic bubbles are more complex than previously thought, with unexpected temperature and chemical properties. The study suggests that these bubbles were formed by intense star-formation activity rather than supermassive black hole activity.
Astronomers have discovered a supermassive black hole consuming a giant star, producing a long-lived transient object that is orders of magnitude brighter and more energetic than any recorded before. The object, named Scary Barbie, has lasted over two years and may be visible for years to come.
Researchers found consistent results between observations and theory, showing that clusters have become more centrally concentrated over time. The study provides strong support for the Lambda-CDM paradigm by demonstrating agreement between the observed and simulated concentration-mass relation of galaxy clusters.
The Swift Observatory team, led by Maia Williams, detected the brightest gamma-ray burst ever recorded, GRB 221009A. The burst was incredibly bright and had an afterglow that was more than 10 times brighter than any previous observation.
Researchers from Bar-Ilan University have re-examined data on jet velocities and discovered that lower initial jet speed can explain perpetual emission, filling the gap between velocities. This finding changes the paradigm and proves that jets are formed in nature at all speeds.
Astronomers found that a planet like GJ 1252b, orbiting an M dwarf star, would likely lose its atmosphere due to intense heat and radiation. The discovery narrows the search for habitable planets around these stars, but leaves room for possibilities further away from the star.
Researchers used STARFORGE simulations to uncover what determines star masses, finding that stars regulate their own formation. This discovery may enable better understanding of star formation within our galaxy and other galaxies.
Researchers used machine learning algorithms and k-D tree data structure to identify 11 previously undetected space anomalies, seven of which are supernova candidates. The team analyzed digital images of the Northern sky taken in 2018 using a k-D tree to detect anomalies through the 'nearest neighbour' method.
The heaviest neutron star detected has consumed nearly all the mass of its companion, growing into a record-breaking object. The study provides constraints on matter's behavior at extreme densities, potentially excluding exotic states of matter.
An international research team has shed light on the origin of neutrinos, shedding new evidence that blazars can be confidently associated with astrophysical neutrinos. The study utilizes neutrino data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and BZCat catalogue to establish a connection between high-energy neutrinos and galactic nuclei.
A team of researchers used the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to create a laboratory replica of galaxy-cluster plasmas, discovering strong suppression of heat conduction in these turbulent environments. The experiments provide insight into complex physics processes and raise additional questions that may be answered in future studies.
A new FQXi report re-assesses the 'fine-tuned universe' hypothesis, proposing that intelligent life could have evolved under drastically different physical conditions. This challenges popular arguments for a multiverse and suggests that the universe may be able to produce life under a wider range of circumstances than previously thought.
A new simulation suggests that energy released near a black hole's event horizon during magnetic field line reconnection powers the intense flares. The process involves interactions between the magnetic field and material falling into the black hole, releasing hot plasma particles that radiate away as photons.
Researchers discovered a compact object in supernova AT2018cow, which was a product of a dying star. The team found X-ray pulses indicating an object measuring no more than 1,000 kilometers wide and with a mass smaller than 800 suns.
Researchers at the DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory discovered a process in plasma swirling around black holes that causes previously unexplained emissions of light and heat. The process, known as magnetic reconnection, also jettisons huge plumes of plasma billions of miles in length.
Recent theoretical findings and astrophysical modeling suggest that scientists can accurately interpret gravitational wave signals from these events, hinting at the existence of so-called 'hierarchical' black holes. The detection of GW190521 in 2019 is thought to be the most promising candidate for such an event.
Physicist Will Fox receives the 2019 Thomas H. Stix Award for his original and seminal experiments on magnetic reconnection, ion Weibel instability, and shocks in laboratory astrophysics. His work investigates plasma processes that accelerate particles to enormous energies in the cosmos.
A research group at Osaka University has observed magnetic reconnection driven by electron dynamics for the first time in a laboratory setting. The study uses high-power lasers to create plasma conditions similar to those found in space, allowing researchers to investigate electron-scale phenomena alongside macroscopic structures.
Astronomers have detected the first magnetic field in a protostar jet, shedding light on the nature of cosmic jets. This finding suggests that all types of jets originate from a common process.
The Gamma-Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) will study the gamma-ray sky in unprecedented detail, revealing extreme astrophysical processes like pulsars and supermassive black holes. The mission aims to comprehend the origin and distribution of dark matter.