[NASA]. It has been known since the 1970s when the Viking orbiters took pictures of Mars that there are large (i.e., several kilometers-thick) mounds of light-toned deposits within the central […]
Astrogeology
Posted inComets and Asteroids
Fragmentation Dynamics of Pristine Interstellar Comets: An Exploratory Multi-Physics Simulation Study
[astro-ph.EP] We present an exploratory numerical model for the thermal evolution and fragmentation of pristine interstellar comets during a first passage through the inner Solar System, and we apply it […]
Posted inReports, Roadmaps, & Plans
NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI ) CAN Frequently Asked Questions
[NASA]. Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN)-5 solicits multi-institutional team-based proposals for research as participating members of the Institute.
![Radius valley plot showing the sub-populations of super-Earths and sub-Neptunes as circles and triangles, respectively. The black line and grey shaded region denote an average radius valley (Ho & Van Eylen 2023) for the population and its 1𝜎 uncertainty region, respectively. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/No-Statistically-.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inStellar Cartography
No Statistically Significant Evidence For A Correlation Between Stellar And planetary Composition
[astro-ph.EP] The chemical compositions of planets and their hosts stars are intrinsically linked, having formed from the same protostellar material.
![Atmospheric energy deposition profiles of GCRs and SEPs in the atmosphere of K2-18b for different magnetic field strengths. The profiles have been smoothed to improve visual clarity. For visibility, the deposited energy corresponding to B=300 µT has been multiplied by a factor of 10. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Energy-.png?resize=1200%2C718&ssl=1)
Posted inSpace Weather & Heliophysics
Energy Deposition In Planetary And Exoplanetary Atmospheres Induced By Cosmic Rays
[astro-ph.EP] Cosmic rays can significantly alter the abundances of certain species in the upper layers of planetary atmospheres, especially in terms of their biosignatures. To fully understand the extent of […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Youngest Exoplanet Yet Discovered Found Hiding in Keck Observatory Data
[W.M.Keck Observatory] Astronomers have confirmed the youngest exoplanet detected so far, offering a rare glimpse into the earliest stages of planetary formation. The planet, known as Elias 2-24 b, is […]
![Binding energies of CO, CO2 and NH3 on pristine and cavity-containing ice clusters consisting of 100 and 97 H2O molecules, respectively. The error bars represent the spread in adsorption energies across the three clusters. Dispersion energy as fraction of the total binding energy per species, site and functional. -- [astro-ph.GA]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/How-Small.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry
How Small is Large Enough? Determining Minimal Cluster Sizes for Molecule Adsorption on Interstellar Amorphous Ice
[astro-ph.GA] Binding energies of molecules on ice mantles are important to understand the evolution of molecular complexity in molecular clouds.
Posted inCeres
Spectral Evolution Of Ceres’ Surface and Implications For Space Weathering
[astro-ph.EP] The surface of Ceres exposed to the space environment will be gradually altered, but the evolution of its spectral properties remains poorly understood. Here we analyze visible and infrared […]
Posted inEnceladus
The Enceladian Crater Production Function
[Icarus] Interpreting Enceladus’s past and present surface history and interior state remains challenging, owing to uncertain prescription of its impact bombardment history and limited interpretation of its crater statistics.
Posted inMars
Hints of Clay On Mars
CRISM multispectral mapping data show strong clay (phyllosilicate) and pyroxene spectral signatures in different locations in and around this impact crater. Enhanced color can also help us to distinguish compositional […]