[astro-ph.GA] We use kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations to study molecular hydrogen formation on carbonaceous dust grain surfaces, validated against recent laboratory measurements of H2 formation on coronene films at […]
Astrochemistry
![Chemical abundance distributions of the Sample II planet-candidate host stars in the [Fe/H]–[Mg/Fe] plane.](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/A-chemo.png?resize=1200%2C715&ssl=1)
Posted inStellar Cartography
A Chemo-dynamical Search For Planet-candidate Hosts Of Possible Extragalactic Origin
[astro-ph.SR] To date, all known exoplanetary systems have been identified around stars currently residing in the Milky Way, whereas planets formed in external galaxies remain largely unexplored. Such systems would […]
Posted inComets and Asteroids
An Enriched Methane D/H Ratio in the Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS
[astro-ph.EP]. Interstellar objects are interlopers from other planetary systems, and their volatile compositions provide a glimpse into planet formation around their host star.
Posted inAstrochemistry
The Galactic Centre G+0.633-0.0604 Molecular Cloud: A New Gold Mine for Astrochemistry
[astro-ph.GA] Astrochemistry is living a golden age, with more than a quarter of the ~350 molecules in the current interstellar census having been detected over the last three years. One […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Dust And Water Found Around The Milky Way’s Central Black Hole
[ESA] The new observations provide the most detailed mid-infrared view yet of the highly evolved star IRS 3, which is located just 0.55 light-years from Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way […]
Posted inPhobos
Infrared-to-visible Albedo Ratio Of Phobos: Comparison With Primitive Asteroids
[astro-ph.EP] Aims. The ratio between infrared and visible albedo, pIR/pV, provides a simple proxy for the spectral slope of asteroid surfaces between the visible and near-infrared wavelength ranges. The aim […]
![Ni, Cu and Zn elemental maps of three chondrules from Paris, that show microspherule regions partitioned by zones enriched in siderophile elements (i.e., Fe, Ni, Co, Cu; pink arrows). The color bars reflect μg/g concentrations of the elements. While in BSE mode and lithophile element space, these would appear as single ~300 μm diameter chondrules, they represent aggregates of ~100 μm grape-bunch chondrules (pink spheres), where these microchondrules contained metal-rich rims. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Chondrule.png?resize=1200%2C714&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrogeology
Chondrule Formation In The Outer Disk From The Primary Three-dimensional Chemical Composition Of CM Chondrules
[astro-ph.EP] Chondrules and their associated fine-grained rims record key processes in the early protoplanetary disk, yet the links between chondrule chemistry, morphology, and matrix complementarity remain poorly constrained.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes
NASA ROSES-25 Amendment 69: New Opportunity: D.9 Habitable Worlds Observatory Instrument Concept Assessments
[NASA] Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) Instrument Concept Assessments (HWO-ICA) program element D.9 of ROSES-25, solicits proposals to support maturation of the HWO mission concept. The objective of HWO-ICA is to […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Astrochemistry: A Cosmic Recycling System In Action In The Helix Nebula
[Northwestern University] An international team of scientists, including Northwestern University astrophysicists, has captured an unprecedented view of a dying star’s remains in the act of being recycled.
![Observed spectra compared to laboratory data for CO (left), 13CO2 (middle), and H2O (right) ices on carbonaceous dust analogs. -- [astro-ph.GA]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Molecule-specific.png?resize=1200%2C606&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
Molecule-specific Diffusion And Desorption Of Interstellar Ices On Carbonaceous Dust
[astro-ph.GA] Interstellar ices form on dust grains in the coldest regions of molecular clouds and preserve key volatile reservoirs that could be incorporated into protoplanetary disks during star and planet […]