Articles tagged with Gravitation
The GRAVITY instrument has made the first direct observation of an exoplanet, revealing a complex atmosphere with clouds of iron and silicates swirling in a planet-wide storm. This achievement showcases the unique possibilities for characterising many known exoplanets.
The study finds that Bennu exists in a delicate balance between two competing forces, its wild spin creating a competition between gravity and centrifugal acceleration. This balance affects the asteroid's long-term evolution and potential demise.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a new way to sense earthquakes using gravitational signals, which can detect seismic waves ahead of time. The method has been proven reliable with 7-sigma accuracy and could lead to improved early warning systems that save lives.
NGC 6052 is a pair of colliding galaxies visible in the Hercules constellation, consisting of two galaxies merging due to gravity. The Milky Way will undergo a similar collision with Andromeda in approximately 4 billion years.
A Johns Hopkins study using a new computer modeling method simulates asteroid collisions and finds that larger objects are not as easily broken as previously thought. Instead, asteroids retain significant strength after impact due to the formation of a damaged core.
Researchers have identified key aspects of planetary motions from a period around 200 million years ago, pushing the record back further than ever before. They used geological records to create a 'Geological Orrery', a precise history of solar system changes that can be extrapolated into the future.
Astronomers have created a 3D picture of the Milky Way's outer regions using variable stars. The team found that the galaxy's S-like stellar disk is warped in a progressively twisted spiral pattern.
Scientists have made the first surface gravity measurements on a planet other than Earth using NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars. The rover's accelerometers, used for navigation, were calibrated to measure subtle changes in gravitational acceleration, providing new information about the subsurface of Mars.
Researchers repurposed data from NASA's Curiosity rover to measure the gravitational tug of Martian rocks, finding that lower slopes of Mount Sharp have lower density rock layers than predicted. This challenges a competing theory suggesting Gale Crater was once completely filled with sediment and excavated by erosion.
A recent study using Cassini data estimates Saturn's ring mass to be around 40 percent of the moon Mimas' mass, indicating a relatively young age for the rings. The discovery also provides insight into Saturn's internal structure and atmospheric circulation patterns.
A joint ESA-University of Bath project aims to estimate forces experienced by lower limbs in different gravity environments, mapping variation in external loads, muscle strength, and reduced gravity effect.
Astronomers have found a way to illuminate the elusive nature of dark matter by analyzing intracluster light from six massive galaxy clusters in the Frontier Fields program. The faint glow between galaxies in a cluster traces the path of dark matter, providing a more accurate understanding of its distribution.
A NASA-industry team successfully built and demonstrated a prototype quantum sensor for satellite gravimetry, enabling highly sensitive gravity measurements. The sensor employs atom interferometry, a technique that could revolutionize next-generation geodesy, hydrology, and climate-monitoring missions.
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth played a vital role in observing four new gravitational waves using LIGO and VIRGO detectors. These findings revolutionize our knowledge of high-mass star formation, evolution, and black hole production, with implications for understanding the universe.
The LIGO and Virgo collaborations have detected 10 stellar-mass binary black hole mergers and one neutron star merger, with six of the black hole events previously reported. The new detections include GW170729, GW170809, GW170818, and GW170823, which are included in a new catalog of gravitational-wave events.
The study reveals that gas clouds rapidly moving around a central black hole form the very heart of this quasar. The research is the first detailed observation outside of our galaxy of gas clouds whirling around a central black hole.
The new NIST clock records set three important measures: systematic uncertainty, stability, and reproducibility. The clocks' total error drops below our general ability to account for gravity's effect on time here on Earth. This achievement enables the detection of faint signals from the early universe and perhaps dark matter.
A new algorithm computes and enables realistic movement and distortion of 3D surfaces, including gravity, contact, and friction. The method allows users to freely design garments around a 3D character without worrying about physics.
Research finds that gravity and unique shapes of small objects in our solar system create and maintain their own rings. Astronomers discovered that rings around Chariklo and Haumea are confined by the object's irregularities, contradicting previous assumptions about moon-dominated ring systems.
Astronomers at Carnegie Institution for Science have discovered a frozen Super-Earth orbiting Barnard's star, just six light-years from Earth. The planet has at least 3.2 times Earth's mass and orbits its star every 233 days at a distance where water would be frozen.
Princeton researchers have created a way to construct tiny structures, such as soft lenses for smartphones, using a simple method that doesn't require special equipment. The technique uses a liquid film and lasers to create precise patterns of droplets, resulting in uniform hexagonal structures.
Research on the International Space Station reveals that electrically charged dust grains line up in straight lines, even without gravity. The study suggests that forces between particles and atoms impose order on the system.
Scientists have used satellite gravity data from the GOCE mission to image the structure of the Earth's lithosphere, revealing large-scale tectonic features and complex patterns in ancient cratons. These findings improve our understanding of Antarctica's deep structure and its connection to the rest of the planet.
Researchers from University of Seville analyzed geodynamic behavior of Tenerife island and found millimetric coming together with Gran Canaria, potentially caused by a fault between the two islands. The islands' gravitational sinking has been detected through GPS data since 2004.
Researchers developed a mathematical model describing motion of dark matter particles inside the smallest galaxy halos. They observed that over time, dark matter may form spherical droplets of quantum condensate. The study found that Bose-Einstein condensate can form in the centres of small halos, and it may produce Fast Radio Bursts.
The RIT-led collaboration simulates neutron star mergers, linking them to the creation of heavy elements like gold and platinum. The project aims to improve understanding of binary neutron star merger processes, including electromagnetic signals and strong gravitational wave signatures.
Researchers have identified optimal bridge concepts that require minimal material volume, potentially making longer spans feasible. The proposed designs contain regions resembling a bicycle wheel and would be significantly lighter than traditional suspension bridge designs.
Harvard researchers use acoustic forces to create a new technology that enables the printing of materials in a drop-on-demand manner. The technique expands possibilities for biopharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and optical materials, and is safe to use with sensitive biological cargo.
A hydraulic jump occurs when water hits a sink, causing waves and turbulence. Researchers at Cambridge University have explained this phenomenon using surface tension, debunking a 200-year-old theory. The study's findings have wide-reaching implications for industries with high water consumption.
Researchers from CNRS and Cirad have discovered that the bark of certain tree species generates forces that control tree growth and upright posture. This motor function was previously overlooked, but is now recognized as a crucial component of a tree's ability to grow vertically.
Scientists use X-ray polarimetry to determine the shape of matter near a black hole in binary system Cygnus X-1, clarifying the lamp-post model as the correct geometry. This discovery may help understand the evolution of black holes and galaxies.
A new theory suggests that a dynamical system singularity may not be a physical reality, allowing the universe to evolve infinitely. The study, published in Physical Review D, proposes an alternate gravity model that includes quadratic scalar invariants and corresponds with Alexei Starobinsky's inflational theory.
Researchers at Purdue University have created a machine that spins at over 60 billion revolutions per minute, allowing them to study the properties of vacuum and its effects on materials. This breakthrough technology has the potential to advance our understanding of quantum mechanics and material science.
A team of astronomers tested Einstein's theory of general relativity using a three-star system and found almost no detectable difference between the pulsar and inner white dwarf, indicating little room for alternative theories of gravity. The study confirms that relativity still applies even in extreme gravity systems.
An international team of astronomers tested the Strong Equivalence Principle using a unique triple star system. They found that even extremely dense neutron stars fall at the same rate as lighter objects, confirming Einstein's general theory of relativity.
A study suggests that Jupiter's surface jet streams could provide evidence for a rocky core at its center. Researchers used computer simulations to analyze data from NASA's Juno spacecraft, which found evidence of local variations in the planet's magnetic and gravity fields.
An international team confirms Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity by making the most precise test of gravity outside our solar system. By combining data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, the researchers found that gravity behaves as predicted by GR on galactic s...
Scientists tracking Antarctica's ice mass loss conclude that the continent is losing an unprecedented amount of ice, resulting in a significant contribution to global sea level rise. The study reveals a threefold increase in ice loss since 2012, with West Antarctica experiencing the largest change.
Researchers at UT Dallas developed a tool to identify inconsistencies in cosmological data, revealing potential errors in current models. The findings suggest that either systematic errors need to be removed or the underlying model is incomplete, leading to questions about Albert Einstein's theory of gravity.
Physicists at NIST have performed the most accurate test of Einstein's general relativity theory using remote atomic clocks. The experiment confirmed that measurements of nongravitational effects are independent of time and place, with a result consistent with predicted values.
A new alloy is being developed through the testing of a sintering process in microgravity aboard the International Space Station. The investigation uses liquid phase sintering to study the degree of distortion caused by microgravity, with potential applications for space manufacturing and Earth-based industries.
Researchers at Hiroshima University found that space-like gravity affects the process of gene expression in muscle cells, leading to slower muscle development. DNA methylation is a key player in regulating muscle cell differentiation, with potential targets for treating skeletal muscle atrophy identified.
Scientists at Jefferson Lab measured the pressure distribution inside a proton for the first time, revealing a pressure cooker environment. The results show that quarks are subjected to a high outward-directed pressure near the center of the proton.
Microgap cooling technology aims to remove excessive heat from tightly packed electronics and devices, which are vulnerable to overheating in space. The test on the Blue Origin New Shepard launch vehicle will validate the system's performance under microgravity conditions.
Physicists develop new method for compressing non-neutral plasma to achieve ten-fold reduction in antiproton cloud radius. The study enhances low-energy antimatter research and charged particle traps.
Researchers discovered that plant statoliths exhibit fluid behavior due to molecular 'motors' stirring them about, enabling the detection of slightest gravity changes. This finding provides insight into what makes plants sensitive to gravity.
Researchers from ITMO University have discovered a new mechanism for neutron star radio emission, based on the transitions of particles between gravitational states. This phenomenon is similar to laser amplification and was first observed in electrons on the surface of neutron stars, consistent with real experimental observations.
Astronomers used computer simulations to create images of accreting supermassive black holes in different gravity theories. They found that even highly non-Einsteinian black holes could mimic the appearance of standard black holes, highlighting the need for new techniques to distinguish them.
The Hubble Space Telescope has imaged a massive galaxy cluster, revealing its intricate structure and the presence of dark matter. The cluster is comprised of thousands of galaxies held together by gravity, with most of its mass existing in non-luminous dark matter.
Researchers have developed a way to detect gravitational waves from faint black hole mergers, allowing them to study populations of black holes at vast distances. The new method is estimated to be one thousand times more sensitive than previous techniques, and will enable the detection of thousands of previously hidden black holes.
A study by GFZ scientists found that water pressure at the plate interface zone can lead to 'aquaplaning', initiating earthquakes. The researchers suggest that fluid pressure becomes close to lithostatic at deeper interfaces and lower at shallower ones, triggering catastrophic events.
Physicist Yasha Neiman proposes a new vantage point on space-time geometry, combining holography and twistor theory to develop a full-fledged quantum gravitational theory. This framework aims to unify quantum mechanics and General Relativity, overcoming current challenges in fundamental theory.
A team of researchers has successfully extended the search range of an exotic gravity to short distances, demonstrating the highest sensitivity reported to date. The study uses a high-intensity pulsed neutron beam at the J-PARC facility, allowing for precise measurements of gravitational interactions.
Researchers have developed a novel mathematical model combining general relativity with quantum vacuum polarization, enabling the existence of ultracompact stars and new stellar configurations. The study suggests that these stars could be detectable in future gravitational wave observatories.
Researchers used NASA's Juno spacecraft data to reveal that Jupiter's colorful bands are not just surface phenomena, but significant strata extending 3,000 km deep. The analysis shows that Jupiter's atmosphere is only 1% of its total mass, a surprising discovery.
JILA scientists invent a novel imaging technique that combines spectroscopy and high-resolution microscopy to create rapid, precise measurements of quantum behavior. The technique produces detailed spatial maps of energy shifts among atoms in a three-dimensional lattice, providing information about each atom's location and energy level.
Nicolas Yunes and Emanuele Berti will study colliding black holes with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) detector, which could help understand Einstein's theory of gravity. The data from LISA will analyze gravitational waves produced during mega-collisions, shedding light on extreme environments.
Researchers used spectroscopic measurements to confirm S0-2 has no significant companion, simplifying the upcoming gravity test. The discovery sheds light on the formation of young stars near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
A new study using the LAser RElativity Satellite (LARES) demonstrates high-precision probing of General Relativity and fundamental physics. The research reveals frame-dragging effects on space-time, with implications for astrophysics.
Researchers use a transportable optical atomic clock to measure gravitation for the first time, with potential applications in monitoring continental height changes and improving national height systems. The technique has the potential to resolve height differences as small as 1 cm across the Earth's surface.