Articles tagged with Solar System Formation
A University of Oklahoma astrophysicist is using a new algorithm to model the early stages of planetary system formation and the impact of nearby stars on planets in binary systems. This research will be integrated into Oklahoma classrooms through the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
Scientists have discovered a 1.3 km radius body beyond Neptune's orbit, revealing more about the planet formation process. The detection supports models where planetesimals grow slowly into kilometer-sized objects before merging to form planets.
The MIRC-X camera allows astronomers to study the inner regions of planet-forming disks, gaining insights into the formation of rocky planets. Scientists can now explore previously inaccessible areas of young stars and gain new understanding of the solar system's early stages.
A team of UNLV and international astronomers has conducted the first large-sample survey of protoplanetary disks using ALMA, yielding high-resolution images of 20 nearby disks. The results reveal a large population of young planets at wide-orbit similar to Neptune or Jupiter, which may be similar to our solar system
Professor Alexander Krot will work at Goethe University Frankfurt for six months, building on his research on the formation of the first solid bodies of our solar system. His work aims to provide fundamental insights into the childhood of the solar nebula, shedding light on the early formations in the solar system.
Researchers from University of Hamburg discovered that solid rock exhibits fluid behavior during massive impacts, forming craters in just minutes. The findings support the acoustic fluidization hypothesis and have significant implications for understanding large impact crater formation across our solar system.
Researchers at Southwest Research Institute studied the Patroclus-Menoetius binary asteroid pair and found that its existence indicates an earlier dynamical instability. This instability pushed Uranus and Neptune outwards, scattering small bodies into the Kuiper Belt, where they formed the Trojan asteroids.
Researchers have proposed a new method to investigate supernovae explosions, utilizing meteorites and electron anti-neutrinos. By measuring the amount of Ruthenium isotope 98Ru, scientists can estimate the characteristics of electron anti-neutrinos in supernovae, shedding light on their role in the explosion mechanism.
Japanese researchers from Osaka University analyzed Hayabusa particles to determine the age of asteroid Itokawa, finding it formed 4.6 billion years ago and was destroyed 1.5 billion years later. The study used precise isotope analyses to clarify the chronology of the asteroid's evolution.
Researchers have proposed a new model for Jupiter's birth, revealing three distinct phases of growth. The first phase was characterized by rapid accretion of small pebbles and core building, followed by slower accretion of larger planetesimals that brought energy to the growing planet.
Researchers found quartz in a primitive meteorite, providing evidence of silica condensation within the solar protoplanetary disk. The discovery helps understand solar formation and evolution.
Researchers found formic acid in a protoplanetary disk surrounding the young star TW Hydra, suggesting rich organic chemistry existed before planet formation. This discovery implies that complex molecules were present in the solar nebula, which may have contributed to the emergence of life.
Researchers have uncovered the remnants of the early solar system with the discovery of an ancient igneous meteorite containing silica-rich crustal rocks. The oldest recorded igneous meteorite, dating back 4.565 billion years, provides valuable insights into planet formation and volcanic rock compositions in the early solar system.
A new study suggests that organic materials found in ancient meteorites formed through basic chemical reactions during the Solar System's infancy. The research provides insights into the potential habitability of other planetary systems.
Meteorite chondrules reveal that oxygen and volatile elements increased in the inner Solar System until around 4.567 billion years ago. Volatile element delivery continued to increase after this point, supporting a model of Mars' early formation under oxidizing conditions and Earth's accretion under reducing conditions.
Researchers at Durham University found that a massive collision with an object twice the size of Earth likely tilted Uranus on its side. The impact may have trapped heat, explaining the planet's extremely cold temperature. Simulations also suggest this event could have formed Uranus' rings and moons.
Researchers have found evidence of pre-solar interstellar dust in glassy grains called GEMS, which were formed in a cold environment. The discovery provides insight into the solar system's formation and the processes that created the planets.
Researchers at Berkeley Lab used infrared light and electron microscopy to study interplanetary particles, finding they contain pre-solar dust leftover from the solar system's formation. The dust, consisting of carbon, ices, and disordered silicate, was mostly destroyed by planet formation processes.
Comet-derived IDPs contain presolar interstellar dust, such as GEMS, with organic carbon mantles that decompose at high temperatures. The results suggest that GEMS formed in a cold environment and represent surviving building blocks of the Solar System.
Researchers developed a statistical approach combining astronomical theory and rock formation data to estimate Earth's axial precession rate and distance from the Moon. The study also reconstructed periods of astronomically influenced climate cycles, providing insights into ancient Solar System behavior.
Researchers integrated NASA's New Horizons discoveries with ESA's Rosetta mission data to develop a new theory about Pluto's formation at the edge of our solar system. The 'giant comet' cosmochemical model suggests Pluto formed from agglomeration of comets or Kuiper Belt objects similar to 67P.
An international team of astronomers has discovered a carbon-rich asteroid in the Kuiper Belt, providing strong support for theoretical models of the Solar System's formation. The asteroid, 2004 EW95, is believed to have formed in the inner Solar System and was flung outwards by a migratory planet.
A University of Oklahoma astrophysics team discovered that the growth of Mars was halted by an orbital instability among the outer solar system's giant planets. The study used computer simulations to show how this instability, linked to the Nice Model, prevented Mars from becoming a larger, habitable planet like Earth.
Researchers challenged the existing understanding of star formation by observing a distant molecular cloud, W43-MM1, with ALMA. Contrary to previous findings, they discovered an overabundance of massive cores and underrepresentation of less massive cores.
Experiments show that asteroids can retain up to 30% of their water content after impact, suggesting a mechanism for water delivery to the early Earth. This process could also explain later water activity in the solar system.
A new study by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center team has calculated how 'Oumuamua fits into our understanding of planetary system development. The object, a fresh perspective on planetary formation, was likely ejected from a distant star system and is helping scientists constrain planet formation models.
New research confirms that 'Oumuamua, the first confirmed interstellar asteroid, originated from a binary star system. The study found that rocky objects like 'Oumuamua are far more likely to come from binary systems than single star systems.
A team of researchers proposes a new scenario for the formation of Comet Chury, suggesting it formed through a gentle encounter between two comets, preserving its primordial composition. This process allows for the survival of small bodies like Chury, which would otherwise be destroyed by collisions in the regions where they orbit.
A team of scientists has found evidence that the Earth's core and mantle separated in a disordered fashion, preserving unique isotopic signatures. The researchers believe that chemical behavior of iodine at high pressure played a crucial role in this process.
New research from the University of Alberta reveals strong winds surrounding black holes throughout bright outburst events. The study, published in Nature, sheds light on mass transfers to black holes and their environmental effects.
Scientists analyzed carbon-rich dust grains extracted from meteorites to determine the timing of supernova dust formation. The study found that these grains formed at least two years after their massive parent stars exploded.
A recent study published in The Astronomical Journal found that exoplanets orbiting the same star are often similar in size and have regular orbital spacing. This pattern could suggest that most planetary systems have a different formation history than our solar system.
Researchers analyzed the Hypatia stone, a pebble found in Egypt, and discovered unique minerals that suggest it originated from pre-solar material. The stone contains polyaromatic hydrocarbons, metallic aluminum, phosphides, and moissanite, which are uncommon in our solar system.
Researchers suggest that our solar system formed in a wind-blown bubble structure around a Wolf-Rayet star, which produces elements like aluminium-26 but not iron-60. This theory aims to explain the unusual abundance of these elements in our solar system compared to the rest of the galaxy.
A new physical model proposes that most of Earth's water came from objects scattered into the inner Solar System by Jupiter's rapid growth. The model suggests that Jupiter's massive size and gravitational pull disturbed thousands of water-rich planetesimals, delivering them to the region currently occupied by Earth's orbit.
An international team of astronomers, including Carnegie's Nick Konidaris, discovered a 'zombie star' that exploded multiple times over 50 years. The finding challenges existing knowledge of a star's end of life and was made possible by Konidaris' instrument-construction, which helped analyze the phenomenon.
Researchers from Germany's Technische Universität Braunschweig uncovered a crucial link between the formation of cometary 'dust pebbles' and planet accretion. The study, based on Rosetta mission data, reveals that these pebbles are concentrated by solar instability, leading to collapse and the birth of comets.
A geochemist from MSU has assessed the oxidative environment and its changes inside asteroids from core to surface. The study reveals that variations in asteroid composition and structure significantly impact oxygen pressure.
Scientists propose a new concept of terrestrial planet formation involving heat-pipes, which transport heat from interior to surface via mantle melting and magma ascent. This hypothesis resolves major outstanding problems across all planets, including the formation of volcanic terrains and lithospheres.
Researchers generate high-energy shock waves in a laboratory setting, simulating the formation of supersonic shock waves that propel cosmic rays and particles. This breakthrough enables new studies on the acceleration of astrophysical particles and complements present remote sensing observations.
Researchers detect methyl isocyanate in solar-type protostar, a precursor to complex compounds like peptides and amino acids. The finding suggests that planets could begin with the chemical ingredients needed for life, supporting the theory of prebiotic chemistry in space.
Astronomers using ALMA have found the complex organic molecule methyl isocyanate in the disk of a young Sun-like star, providing new insights into the formation of life. The discovery suggests that these protostars are well-suited for Earth-sized planets to form and may hold clues to understanding how life emerged on our planet.
Researchers Simon Lock and Sarah Stewart propose a new type of planetary object called a synestia, which forms through giant impacts. Synestias could be responsible for moon formation, particularly in our solar system where Earth's moon is similar to its parent planet.
Research finds atomic carbon in young star systems' debris disks, indicating minimal hydrogen presence. This suggests the gas is generated through collisions rather than being primordial.
A study published in Nature Astronomy found that blue binaries in the Kuiper Belt formed closer to the Sun and were shaped by Neptune's gravitational nudges. The research suggests a smooth and calm migration of Neptune from 20 AU to its current location at 30 AU, allowing fragile binaries to be pushed out to their current orbits.
The study suggests that Earth's unique iron isotopic signature may have developed later in its history, possibly due to a collision with another planetary body or churning of the mantle. Researchers recreated high-pressure conditions using a diamond anvil cell and found contradictory results.
Astronomers studied the HD 106906 system to see how a distant giant planet affects a debris disk's shape and structure. They found that the disk's flat, non-circular ring is consistent with a planet forming outside the disk, not inside it.
Astronomers discovered a 11 times massive young planet, HD 106906b, which formed outside the debris disk and is 13 million years old. The study suggests this rare peek into planetary formation provides insights into how planets evolve, contradicting current theories.
Researchers propose that dust traps, high-pressure regions where dust grains accumulate and avoid fragmentation, play a key role in planet formation. These spontaneous traps concentrate grains from outer disk regions, helping to form planets and addressing the long-standing problem of how pebbles join together to create planetary cores.
Researchers suggest an unseen population of gas giant planets may exist at distances similar to Jupiter and Saturn, resolving a long-standing debate about their formation. The predicted planets could be found using NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope.
Researchers estimated the solar nebula's lifetime using ancient meteorites, finding it lasted around 3 to 4 million years. This discovery suggests gas giants Jupiter and Saturn formed within the first 4 million years of the solar system's formation.
The team estimated the solar nebula's lifetime using ancient meteorites that formed 4.653 billion years ago, suggesting it disappeared within the first 4 million years of the solar system's formation. The findings indicate that gas giants Jupiter and Saturn must have formed early in the solar system's history.
Researchers solved a long-standing puzzle about the source of key stardust grains, which formed before our Solar System and can be recovered from meteorites. The study identifies Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars as the producers of these grains, shedding light on nuclear processes inside stars that led to their formation.
A UCLA-led research team has reported the moon's age to be at least 4.51 billion years old, with a range of 40 million to 140 million years older than previously believed. The findings were made using mineral analysis of zircons brought back by the Apollo 14 mission in 1971.
Astronomers used VLA and ALMA to study distant galaxies, revealing details of dust-shrouded regions. They found intense star formation occurred throughout galaxies, contrary to present-day high rates in smaller regions.
Researchers found that Neptune-mass worlds are likely the most common type of planet to form in icy outer realms. The study provides insight into the types of planets waiting to be found far from a host star, where scientists suspect planets form most efficiently.
Researchers have observed powerful whirlwinds shooting out of the rotating disc of a newly formed star. The wind is thought to slow down the rotation, allowing the material to contract and form planets.
Astronomers have found compelling evidence for the existence of two infant planets orbiting a young star called HD 163296. The planets are estimated to be around the same mass as Saturn and are situated in the disk's outer regions, suggesting they are not yet fully formed.
Scientists have found that Jupiter's massive gravity may have formed rare, high-velocity meteorites called CB chondrites. These meteorites suggest Jupiter was near its current size and in the asteroid belt when they were formed, about 5 million years after the solar system solidified.
A new study published in Nature Communications presents evidence suggesting that a low-mass supernova played a crucial role in the formation of our solar system. The research team analyzed short-lived radioactive nuclei found in meteorites and discovered unique 'fingerprints' that point to a low-mass supernova as the trigger.