Articles tagged with Astrophysical Processes
Researchers discover surface chemistry unlike other centaurs on Chiron, with carbon dioxide and methane gases in its coma. The findings provide insight into the creation of our Solar System's origins and the unique processes producing Chiron's surface composition.
Researchers at University of Arizona discovered a spike in carbon-14 dating to 664 B.C., pinpointing the last known extreme solar storm event. The study provides crucial data for scientists studying sun's activity and offers insights into massive storms' effects on Earth's atmosphere.
A new study suggests that Betelgeuse's pulsing is due to an orbiting companion star known as the 'Betelbuddy'. The star acts like a snowplow, pushing light-blocking dust out of the way and making Betelgeuse appear brighter. Researchers used computer simulations to confirm this hypothesis, ruling out other possible causes.
A team of astronomers discovered new insights into the forces that shape protoplanetary disks using the James Webb Space Telescope. They traced disk winds in unprecedented detail, revealing an intricate structure and a pronounced central hole inside each cone-shaped envelope of winds.
Two UMD Astronomy space probes, AXIS and PRIMA, have advanced to the next round of consideration for a $1 billion NASA mission. AXIS will study X-rays from stars and black holes, while PRIMA will explore far-infrared radiation to understand galaxy formation.
Drs Johanna Vos aims to better understand weather patterns on extrasolar worlds using the James Webb Space Telescope. Her Exo-PEA project will reveal dominant atmospheric processes governing giant world weather, expanding our understanding of planetary atmospheres.
A new study uses observations from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft to measure the cosmic optical background, a phenomenon known as the universe's glow. The results suggest that the glow is roughly 100 billion times fainter than sunlight and provides valuable insights into the history of the universe since the Big Bang.
Simulations predict that the violent deaths of rapidly rotating stars can create detectable gravitational waves, which could aid understanding of collapsars and black holes. The signals from these events are strong enough to be picked up by LIGO and may already exist in datasets.
A new study published in Physical Review Letters suggests that nanohertz gravitational waves may not originate from supercool first-order phase transitions. Researchers found that such transitions would struggle to complete, shifting the frequency of the waves away from nanohertz frequencies.
Researchers discovered a rotating, magnetic wind that helps the galaxy's central supermassive black hole grow, similar to the birth of stars and planets. The study provides new clues to solving the mystery of how supermassive black holes grow, with potential implications for understanding galaxy evolution.
Researchers at China Institute of Atomic Energy have developed a more sensitive method to detect iron-60 in lunar samples, allowing for deeper understanding of cosmic events. The new technique has improved detection sensitivity better than 4.3 × 10−14 and potentially reaching 2.5 × 10−15.
A research team led by UCF's Mário Nascimento De Prá and Noemí Pinilla-Alonso discovered carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ices on 59 trans-Neptunian objects using the James Webb Space Telescope. The findings suggest that carbon dioxide was abundant in the protoplanetary disk, while the origin of carbon monoxide remains uncertain.
A new study suggests that the sun's magnetic field could arise from instabilities in the outermost layers of the sun, rather than deep within. This finding may enable scientists to better forecast solar activity and space weather.
Scientists propose a new nucleosynthesis process, νr-process, which operates when neutron-rich material is exposed to high neutrino flux. This process can produce rare isotopes present in the solar system, including p-nuclei, previously poorly understood.
A research team led by Dr. Serge Krasnokutski has discovered that peptides can form on cosmic dust particles even in the presence of water molecules. The study used a vacuum chamber to replicate interstellar conditions and found that the formation of peptides was slowed down but still occurred.
Researchers have discovered a star orbiting a massive black hole 33 times heavier than the sun's mass, located 1500 light-years away from Earth. The binary system Gaia BH3 contains an ordinary star that seems to have formed over ten billion years ago.
Researchers analyzed 42 superflares using two models and concluded that hydrogen recombination is the most physically plausible explanation for high levels of energy. This model is supported by flare processes described in solar flares, which are well-studied phenomena.
Researchers at Kyushu University discovered that baby stars expel plumes of dust, gas, and electromagnetic energy in a phenomenon called 'interchange instability', releasing magnetic flux within the protostellar disk. This finding sheds new light on how baby stars develop and may be crucial for understanding star formation.
Researchers used a powerful framework called THEMIS to generate clear images of the Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) black hole, revealing its plasma ring and magnetic field lines. The study provides strong evidence for the need of strong magnetic fields in the accretion disk to push accreting plasma around.
For the first time, astronomers have measured the speed of fast-moving jets in space, crucial to star formation and the distribution of elements needed for life. The jets of matter, expelled by stars deemed 'cosmic cannibals', were found to travel at over one-third of the speed of light.
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.