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Byzantine solar eclipse records illuminate obscure history of Earth's rotation

Researchers in Japan analyzed Byzantine Empire texts to identify five total solar eclipses near Eastern Mediterranean. This study improves understanding of the Earth's rotation and sheds light on variations in day length over time. The new data refine models of global phenomena, such as sea-level and ice-volume variability.

SourceUniversity of Tsukuba·JournalPublications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific·DateSep 15, 2022

Where do high-energy particles that endanger satellites, astronauts and airplanes come from?

Scientists Luca Comisso and Lorenzo Sironi used supercomputers to simulate the origin of high-energy particles in turbulent environments like the sun's atmosphere. Their research provides a clear pattern of when and how these particles form, paving the way for more accurate predictions of space weather events.

SourceColumbia University·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 13, 2022

Could more of Earth’s surface host life?

A new study suggests that Earth's habitability could increase if Jupiter's orbit becomes more eccentric, leading to parts of the surface warming up and becoming habitable for multiple life forms. The researchers also found that this change in Jupiter's orbit could have implications for the search for habitable planets around other stars.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalThe Astronomical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 9, 2022

Time-reversal asymmetry surpasses conversion efficiency limit for solar cells

Researchers have developed a single-cell PV design integrated with nonreciprocal optical components to provide 100-percent reuse of emitted radiation, breaking the Shockley–Queisser limit. This breakthrough enables a quasimonochromatic radiation converter to reach the theoretically maximum Carnot efficiency.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Photonics for Energy·DateJun 1, 2022

The Sun is spinning round again

An international team developed a new theoretical model that solves part of the 'solar problem' by considering the Sun's rotation and magnetic fields. The results reproduce the concentration of helium and lithium in the Sun's outer layers, providing insights into stellar physics.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeNews article·DateMay 31, 2022

Dwarf planet Ceres was formed in coldest zone of Solar System and thrust into Asteroid Belt

Researchers propose that Ceres was formed outside the Frost Line, where ammonia ice is abundant, and then pulled into the Asteroid Belt by gravitational instability. Computer simulations support this hypothesis, showing that giant planet formation led to a turbulent environment that scattered objects into stable orbits.

Mars’ emitted energy and seasonal energy imbalance

Researchers found that Mars' extreme energy budget imbalance can contribute to dust storms. The team analyzed four years of data from NASA missions and found a correlation between the planet's orbits and temperatures, suggesting that the energy excess may be one of the generating mechanisms of Mars' dust storms.

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 16, 2022

Brazil’s Northeast region probably dried up during Earth’s last minimum axial tilt thousands of years ago

A recent study suggests that tree density in the Cerrado biome has been controlled mainly by the length of the dry season over the past 45,000 years. The research found a link between changes in the dry season and variations in Earth's axial tilt, which may lead to similar trends in the late 21st century.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalQuaternary Science Reviews·DateMay 3, 2022

Losing the cover of darkness

A study by researchers at the University of Plymouth reveals that energy-efficient broad spectrum lighting is reducing the efficacy of coastal species' camouflage. This can have significant impacts on visually guided ecological processes, with certain color variations being more vulnerable to detection.

SourceUniversity of Plymouth·JournalJournal of Applied Ecology·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2022

Scientists solve solar secret

Researchers have solved a key part of the coronal heating problem by merging two previous theories into one. The study used six-dimensional supercomputer simulations to show how turbulence creates magnetic waves that heat the gas in the Sun's atmosphere.

SourceUniversity of Otago·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 24, 2022

A solar illusion: Coronal loops may not be what they seem

A new study led by NCAR suggests that many coronal loops on the Sun are actually wrinkles in a bright plasma veil, rather than distinct strands of plasma. This finding has significant implications for understanding the Sun's atmosphere and density, temperature, and other physical characteristics.

SourceNational Center for Atmospheric Research/University Corporation for Atmospheric Research·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 2, 2022

Earth isn’t ‘super’ because the sun had rings before planets

A new study by Rice University astrophysicist André Izidoro suggests that the sun had rings before planets formed, explaining many solar system features. The model simulates the solar system's formation hundreds of times and reproduces several features missed by previous models, including pressure bumps and rings.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 5, 2022

Gravitational action of sun and moon influences behavior of animals and plants, study shows

Researchers found that local gravitational tides modulate the cyclical behavior of organisms, even in the absence of other rhythmic influences. The study questions the validity of free-run experiments and highlights the importance of considering gravitational oscillations in biological research.

SourceFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo·JournalJournal of Experimental Botany·DateJan 4, 2022

You can help scientists study the Sun

The Solar Jet Hunter project, led by researchers at the University of Minnesota and supported by NASA, allows volunteers to identify solar jets in images captured over 11 years. By annotating images, citizen scientists contribute to a database that helps narrow down data on the Sun for further review.

SourceUniversity of Minnesota·TypeObservational study·DateDec 8, 2021

Tread lightly: ‘Eggshell planets’ possible around other stars

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have discovered a new type of exoplanet known as 'eggshell planets,' which are likely to have little topography and no plate tectonics. These planets may resemble the lowlands on Venus, with vast expanses of lava but little high-standing terrain.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalJournal of Geophysical Research Planets·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateNov 10, 2021

From the Sun to the stars

The newly launched NEID spectrometer will measure the minute gravitational tug of planets on their host stars, enabling the detection of rocky planets and characterization of exoplanetary atmospheres. By utilizing this technology, scientists aim to push the boundaries for searching smaller exoplanets and probing beyond past challenges.

Why does Mercury have a big iron core?

Scientists found that Mercury's large iron core is linked to the early sun's strong magnetic field, which pulled metal grains inward. This discovery sheds light on the formation of rocky planets' cores and their elemental distribution.

SourceTohoku University·JournalProgress in Earth and Planetary Science·DateJul 6, 2021

Why does Mercury have such a big iron core? Magnetism!

A new study from the University of Maryland disputes the prevailing hypothesis on Mercury's big core, instead attributing it to solar magnetism. The model shows that a planet's core density and proportion of iron are correlated with the strength of the sun's magnetic field during planetary formation.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalProgress in Earth and Planetary Science·DateJul 2, 2021

The sun's clock

Researchers propose comprehensive explanation of sun cycles based on planetary attractive forces, reproducing known solar activity fluctuations. However, long-term forecasts become impossible due to chaotic process in activity over thousands of years.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalSolar Physics·DateJun 11, 2021

Space weather and solar blobs

Researchers at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory receive $2 million in funding to investigate magnetic reconnection and plasma blobs that can disrupt communications satellites. They aim to recreate conditions in the magnetosphere using a device resembling an enormous silvery barrel tipped on its side.

Probing deep space with Interstellar

The Interstellar Probe mission aims to study how our Sun interacts with the local interstellar medium and learn more about the formation and evolution of the heliosphere. The probe will take 'images' of the heliosphere using energetic neutral atoms and observe extragalactic background light, shedding new light on the region.

A sun reflector for earth?

A team of experts, including Phoebe Zarnetske and Jessica Gurevitch, investigate the ecological impacts of reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. Their research highlights the complexity of cascading relationships between ecosystem function and climate under different scenarios.

SourceAdvanced Science Research Center, GC/CUNY·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 5, 2021