Articles tagged with Gravitation
Astronomers have discovered a 3-star system that challenges the strong equivalence principle in Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity. The system, consisting of two white dwarf stars and a superdense pulsar, allows for precise timing observations to test the theory's validity.
Astronomers have found a rare stellar system featuring a neutron star, two white dwarf stars, in an incredibly close orbit. By measuring the gravitational perturbations in this system, scientists can gain insights into the nature of gravity and potentially detect problems with General Relativity.
A new study reveals that hypergravity significantly affects the dynamic changes of electric discharges, causing the plasma channel to move due to external forces. The research has potential applications in improved safety precautions for manned space flights and ion thruster design.
A new study by Julian Sonner suggests that creating two entangled quarks simultaneously gives rise to a wormhole connecting the pair. This finding bolsters the idea that quantum entanglement may play a key role in understanding gravity, potentially leading to a theory of quantum gravity.
The team uses a powerful magnet and supercooled microwave receiver to detect faint interactions between axions and electromagnetic radiation. They aim to find cold dark matter axions in the Milky Way galaxy, which could make up 1/4 of the universe's mass.
Researchers propose a new model for supermassive black hole growth involving 'seed' black holes formed from early stars. A single collapsing star can produce a pair of black holes that merge, resolving the issue of their rapid formation in the young universe.
Astronomers have found the most distant gravitational lens yet, which provides a rare opportunity to directly measure the mass of a distant galaxy. The discovery poses a puzzle as lenses are expected to be exceedingly rare, suggesting either luck or underestimated small galaxies in the early Universe.
Researchers Struck and Elmegreen found that the gravitational pull of young galaxy clumps is responsible for the smooth universal brightness profile in older disk galaxies. This process takes a few hundred million years to a few billion years, scattering stars from their original orbits.
A joint Australian-German research team has created the highest-resolution maps of Earth's gravity field, showing variations up to 40 percent larger than previously assumed. The new maps were calculated at three billion points and will improve civil engineering projects such as building canals, bridges, and tunnels.
Astronomers have discovered a Trojan asteroid sharing the orbit of Uranus, challenging previous estimates. The study predicts that three percent of scattered objects between Jupiter and Neptune should be co-orbitals with Uranus or Neptune.
Researchers found a negative correlation between gravity and topography signals on Titan, attributed to large roots extending into the ocean beneath the ice shell. The study suggests that Titan's ice shell is rigid and at least 40 kilometers thick.
Astronomers have developed a new technique to measure the surface gravity of distant stars, which is crucial for calculating their physical properties and evolutionary state. The technique has been shown to be more accurate than existing methods and can significantly improve estimates of exoplanet sizes.
Scientists have long puzzled over how plants set and maintain the angle of their lateral branches. The mechanism, driven by auxin hormone, counteracts gravity-sensitive growth to sustain a non-vertical angle of growth, known as the gravitropic set-point angle.
A study on the Hong Kong Peak Tram found that specific features of the environment can dominate our perception of verticality, making skyscrapers appear to fall. The illusion was greatest on night-time rides and could be enhanced by oblique window frames and lighting fixtures.
A Purdue University-led team has mapped the location and development of mass concentrations, or mascons, on the lunar surface, resolving a decades-long mystery. The findings provide valuable insights into the moon's origin and evolution and will aid in navigating future lunar missions.
Astronomers may witness the birth of a black hole for the first time using a new analysis that predicts a distinct burst of light just before the black hole forms. The study suggests that this signature light burst could be detectable in nearby galaxies and provide valuable insights into black-hole formation.
Berkeley Lab physicists measure antimatter gravity using an experimental method that could point to much greater precision in future tests. The study's findings show that measuring antimatter gravity is possible and may lead to definitive answers about antigravity.
Researchers from UC Berkeley report first direct measurement of gravity's effect on antimatter, specifically antihydrogen in free fall. The study suggests that antimatter does not exhibit anti-gravity and falls at the same rate as normal matter.
A team of scientists discovered a unique double object consisting of a massive neutron star and its white dwarf companion, pushing the limits of physical theories. The discovery offers an opportunity to test Einstein's general relativity with unprecedented precision.
A newly-discovered pulsar and its white-dwarf companion have provided physicists with a unique opportunity to study the nature of gravity, with General Relativity predictions holding up well under extreme conditions. The system's unique characteristics make it an unprecedented test for alternative theories of gravity.
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) observed GRAIL's intentional crash into a lunar mountain, kicking up dust and gas to reveal mercury and hydrogen in the plume. The findings provide insight into the moon's volatile material transport around the lunar poles.
Researchers from the University of Montreal studied how hypergravity and microgravity affect plant reproduction, brain diseases, and cancer. They found that changes in gravity impact cellular traffic flow and construction of the cellular envelope, leading to compromised cell functioning and potential implications for human health.
Astronomers suggest that a merger between a galactic black hole and an intermediate-sized black hole in a satellite galaxy could have produced the observed high-energy radiation in the Fermi bubbles. This scenario also explains the absence of old stars near the supermassive black hole.
Recent supercomputer simulations on XSEDE provide new insights into the interaction between jets, accretion disks, and magnetic fields around black holes. The findings challenge the long-held simplistic view of these phenomena, revealing a more complex and dynamic relationship between the jet, disk, and gravitational forces.
Researchers studied the origin of freshwater bodies in the New Jersey shelf and found it comes from modern rainwater, seawater, and a brine from deep sediments. They also investigated active methane formation beneath the seafloor and its potential impact on greenhouse gas emissions during ice ages.
Researchers investigate how plants sense gravity and respond to it, with a focus on genetics and the cytoskeleton's role in directing cell growth. Recent genetic studies reveal potential mechanisms for regulating actin and auxin distribution.
The G0.253+0.016 cloud defies conventional wisdom on star formation, with a dense gas content 25 times higher than the Orion Nebula but only producing small stars. The cloud's high velocities and presence of silicon monoxide suggest it may be two colliding clouds, preventing star formation due to its dynamic nature.
Researchers have found an asteroid belt surrounding Vega, a star similar to the Sun, and believe multiple planets are orbiting it. The discovery was made using Infrared Space Telescopes, which detected infrared light emitted by warm and cold dust in discrete regions around the stars.
Astronomers discovered a mysterious planet circling the nearby star Fomalhaut with an unusual elliptical orbit. The team hypothesizes that another undetected planet may have gravitationally ejected Fomalhaut B, sending it on a collision course with a vast dust ring.
Andrei Lebed's research suggests that the equation may not hold true for gravitational mass, which could have significant implications for our understanding of gravity and its relationship to inertial mass. He proposes an experiment to test his conclusions, which could potentially revolutionize our understanding of the universe.
Astrophysicists found that wide binary stars have a significant impact on planetary systems, causing violent disruptions and scattering planets. The researchers conducted computer simulations and found that planets in these systems are often ejected to interstellar space.
Astronomers have discovered that planets forming around a young star are helping the star continue to grow by clearing gaps in its surrounding disk. The ALMA telescope has detected thin gas filling these gaps and streamers of dense gas bringing material from the outer disk, near and onto the planets.
Researchers successfully grew helium crystals under zero gravity, overcoming laboratory limitations to examine the dynamics of these peculiar materials. The crystals formed rapidly, exhibiting an unprecedented Ostwald ripening process that can help reveal the underlying physics of crystal development.
Researchers studied plant roots grown on the International Space Station and found that they retained complex patterns of 'waving' and 'skewing', characteristic of Earth-grown roots. However, the degree of waving was more subtle than expected, suggesting that gravity is not essential for this process.
A new analysis of Titan's topography and gravity data reveals the moon's icy outer crust is significantly thicker than previously estimated. This finding has significant implications for understanding Titan's ocean and internal structure.
Astronomers have found that a merging galaxy cluster's 'dark core' does not appear to be over-dense in dark matter. The study uses improved Hubble camera capabilities to map the cluster's dark matter distribution, with a ratio of 2.5 to 1 of dark matter to normal matter, aligning with expectations.
Researchers have made a groundbreaking connection between changes in the Earth's magnetic field and gravity measured by satellites. By analyzing data from CHAMP and GRACE missions, they found that rapid fluctuations in the magnetic field are associated with mass displacements in the outer core.
Research published in The FASEB Journal found that changes in gravity during animal development affect antibody production and white blood cell regeneration. This could have significant implications for understanding human diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
Astronomers discover that massive galaxies with 100 billion stars are growing denser due to repeated collisions and mergers. The study used gravitational lenses to analyze the mass distribution in these galaxies, finding that major collisions between large galaxies lead to increased mass density at their centers.
Researchers at MIT's Haystack Observatory have measured the radius of a black hole at the center of a distant galaxy using the Event Horizon Telescope. The measurement confirms Einstein's theory of general relativity by showing that the accretion disk is spinning in the same direction as the black hole.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have found a way to map the spread and structure of the universe using the light of quasars. By analyzing patterns of light variation over time, they were able to calculate the relative size of the universe when the light was emitted, compared to today.
Astronomers found a cloud of hydrogen and helium plunging toward the galactic center, which represents the remains of a planet-forming disk. The discovery suggests that planets can still form near black holes due to stars in a ring orbiting the galaxy's central black hole.
A new method developed by Tel Aviv University's Prof. Lev Eppelbaum successfully uncovered a previously unknown polymetallic reserve in the Caucasus mountainside, containing over 500,000 tons of copper, zinc, lead, aluminium, and gold-silver mixtures.
Researchers at Caltech found a correlation between the neutrino signal and the gravitational-wave signal that occurs when the proto-neutron star reaches high rotational velocities. This discovery provides new insights into understanding the explosion process in massive stars.
Astronomers found a rare gravitational arc behind an extremely massive galaxy cluster 10 billion light-years away, defying statistical expectations. The arc is the result of powerful gravity distorting light from a more distant galaxy, offering insight into the early universe's conditions for massive cluster growth.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a lab-on-chip platform that can sort microscopic particles and bits of biological matter using gravity or simple forces. The device, similar to speed bumps on a road, separates particles based on weight, size or other factors, holding promise for early cancer detection.
A study on Valles Marineris fault zone on Mars suggests left-slip transtensional deformation. In Iraq, a 'missing' Cretaceous arc assemblage has been identified in the Zagros orogenic belt. The Okanagan Valley shear zone in Canada has new age constraints and Phanerozoic protoliths for footwall gneisses.
Research reveals Greenland's ice sheet is losing mass at an unprecedented rate, with melting and calving processes increasing by 0.07mm/year annually since 2005. The study provides insights into the impact of regional weather patterns on ice sheet dynamics.
A team of scientists has discovered an unseen planet orbiting a Sun-like star,KOI-872, by analyzing transit variations caused by the hidden object's gravity. The planet is estimated to be about the mass of Saturn and orbits its host star every 57 days.
The ALMA observatory has discovered a nearby planetary system with sharp-edged dust ring, indicating 'shepherding' planets that keep the disk within their gravitational effect. The planets are smaller than previously thought, about the size of Mars to a few times the Earth, and are among the coldest planets found orbiting a normal star.
The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) has made precision measurements of the large-scale structure of the universe five to seven billion years ago. By using a technique called baryon acoustic oscillation, BOSS can determine the distances to faraway galaxies with unprecedented accuracy.
Computer simulations reveal that giant gas planets prefer certain orbits over others, resulting in 'planet pile-ups' and 'planet deserts'. High-energy radiation from baby stars carves gaps in protoplanetary disks, corralling planets into specific orbits.
Researchers propose a new quantum experiment using Planck-mass mirrors to test predictions of quantum gravity. The team's findings suggest that certain modifications predicted by quantum gravity proposals could be verified in the laboratory, potentially shedding light on the unification of quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Astronomers have obtained a unique close-up look at the brightest gravitationally magnified galaxy yet discovered using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The image revealed regions of star formation glowing like bright points of light, which are much brighter than any star-formation region in our own galaxy.
Researchers develop three methods to improve gravitational field models of Phobos, using high-resolution shape data and comparisons show good consistency. The updated model provides a more detailed understanding of Phobos' physical properties, including its volume and surface gravity.
A new model, published by Anne Hofmeister and Robert Criss, presents a three-dimensional gas cloud scenario for planetary accretion. The model explains planetary orbits and spins without relying on heat production, conserving angular momentum in a cold environment.
Researchers use pulsars to test General Relativity in extremely strong gravity and directly detect gravitational waves. Pulsar timing arrays may reveal evidence for cosmic strings and the early Universe.
A team led by UCLA researcher Michael Rich has discovered a previously unknown dwarf galaxy near NGC 4449, which is 12.5 million light years from Earth. The newly found galaxy, NGC 4449B, is the largest known dwarf galaxy in the local group and has been stretched into a 'S' shape due to gravitational encounter.
Astronomers use gravitational lensing to study a vigorously forming galaxy, revealing regions of intense star formation. The team aims to analyze these star-forming regions through spectroscopy to understand their formation mechanisms.
The study found that weightlessness affected over 200 genes and hypergravity altered the expression of 44 genes. The findings suggest that prolonged space flight should not be underestimated, as the effect of weightlessness on cellular processes can have significant impacts.