Due to strong irradiation, hot rocky exoplanets are able to sustain lava oceans. Direct interaction between these oceans and overlying atmospheres can provide insight into planetary interiors.
Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes
Posted inAstrogeology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Io, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Status Report
Comparing NASA Discovery and New Frontiers Class Mission Concepts for the Io Volcano Observer (IVO)
Jupiter’s moon Io is a highly compelling target for future exploration that offers critical insight into tidal dissipation processes and the geology of high heat flux worlds, including primitive planetary […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Impact events, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release
Glaciers Tell A Story Of Ancient Mars
A new paper published in Icarus describes, maps and dates how glaciers and glacial runoff sculpted the northeastern rim of Mars’ Hellas basin over the last 3 billion years. The […]
Posted inCaves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Lake Eridania On Mars
Mars once hosted a lake larger than any on Earth. The broken-down and dried-up remnants of this ancient lakebed are shown here in amazing detail by ESA’s Mars Express. This […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Comets and Asteroids, Fossils & Paleontology, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release
Understanding The Structure Of Ancient Earth
A team of researchers has made strides in understanding the formation of massif-type anorthosites, enigmatic rocks that only formed during the middle part of Earth’s history. These plagioclase-rich igneous rock […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
Comparing Rover and Helicopter Planetary Mission Architectures
The Rover–Aerial Vehicle Exploration Network project field-tested planetary mission operations within a Mars analog environment in Iceland using stand-alone rover and helicopter architectures.
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
The Chicxulub Impactor Was A Carbonaceous-type Asteroid From Beyond Jupiter
[University of Cologne] Scientists have pinpointed the origin and composition of the asteroid that caused the mass extinction 66 million years ago, revealing it was a rare carbonaceous asteroid from […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release
Rocks from Mars’ Jezero Crater, Which Likely Predate Life On Earth, Contain Signs Of Water
In a new study appearing today in the journal AGU Advances, scientists at MIT and NASA report that seven rock samples collected along the “fan front” of Mars’ Jezero Crater […]
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Perseverance Astrobiology Rover Begins The Long Climb Up The Rim Of Jezero Crater
After 2½ years exploring Jezero Crater’s floor and river delta, the rover will ascend to an area where it will search for more discoveries that could rewrite Mars’ history.
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Mapping “Brain Terrain” Regions on Mars Using Deep Learning
One of the main objectives of the Mars Exploration Program is to search for evidence of past or current life on the planet.