Astrophysical ionizing radiation events have been recognized as a potential threat to life on Earth, primarily through depletion of stratospheric ozone and subsequent increase in surface-level solar ultraviolet radiation. Simulations […]
Atmospheres, Climate, Weather
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Life On An Aquaplanet
An MIT study finds an exoplanet, tilted on its side, could still be habitable if covered in ocean. Nearly 2,000 planets beyond our solar system have been identified to date. […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Study Hints that Ancient Earth Made Its Own Water Geologically
A new study is helping to answer a longstanding question that has recently moved to the forefront of earth science: Did our planet make its own water through geologic processes, […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Hubble Maps Temperature and Water Vapor on an Exoplanet
A team of scientists using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has made the most detailed global map yet of the glow from a planet orbiting another star, revealing secrets of air […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Status Report
Clear Skies and Water Vapor on an Exoplanet
Astronomers using data from three of NASA’s space telescopes — Hubble, Spitzer and Kepler — have discovered clear skies and steamy water vapor on a gaseous planet outside our solar […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Microbiology & Virology, Status Report
NASA's Exposing Microorganisms in the Stratosphere Experiment Soars
NASA’s Exposing Microorganisms in the Stratosphere (E-MIST) experiment launched to the Earth’s stratosphere on the exterior of a giant scientific balloon gondola at about 8 a.m. MST on Aug. 24 […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Atmospheric dynamics of terrestrial exoplanets over a wide range of orbital and atmospheric parameters
The recent discoveries of terrestrial exoplanets and super Earths extending over a broad range of orbital and physical parameters suggests that these planets will span a wide range of climatic […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Habitable Zones
Nitrogen Isotopic Composition and Density of the Archean Atmosphere
Understanding the atmosphere’s composition during the Archean eon is a fundamental issue to unravel ancient environmental conditions. We show from the analysis of nitrogen and argon isotopes in fluid inclusions […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets
Aerosol Particles and Planetary Cloud Formation
Scientists recently discovered the source of naturally occurring aerosol particles in Earth’s atmosphere that play an important role in cloud formation. The particles in questions are known as ‘climate-active organic […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Extinction events
Did A Methane Burst Cause the end-Permian Extinction?
The end-Permian extinction is associated with a mysterious disruption to Earth’s carbon cycle. Here we identify causal mechanisms via three observations. First, we show that geochemical signals indicate superexponential growth […]