Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity, Archives

An example of the 3.7 billion year old banded iron formation found in the north-eastern part of the Isua Supracrustal Belt. Image credit: Claire Nichols

Astrogeology, Habitable Zones, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Press Release, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics

The Oldest Undisputed Evidence Of Earth’s Magnetic Field

by Keith CowingApril 25, 2024April 25, 2024

Without its magnetic field, life on Earth would not be possible since this shields us from harmful cosmic radiation and charged particles emitted by the Sun (the ‘solar wind’). But […]

Characteristics of 80 confirmed exoplanets. Exoplanets exhibiting detectable radio signals are highlighted in different colors. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Status Report

Exploring Radio Emissions from Confirmed Exoplanets Using SKA

by Keith CowingApril 24, 2024April 24, 2024

Currently, our understanding of magnetic fields in exoplanets remains limited compared to those within our solar system. Planets with magnetic fields emit radio signals primarily due to the Electron Cyclotron […]

Venus. Full size: https://flic.kr/p/2pLPdrS Credit: ESA/DLR/VMC/AndreaLuck CC BY

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Venus

To Find Life In The Universe, Look To Deadly Venus

by Keith CowingApril 23, 2024April 23, 2024

Despite surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead, lava-spewing volcanoes, and puffy clouds of sulfuric acid, uninhabitable Venus offers vital lessons about the potential for life on other planets, a […]

Characteristics of the exoplanets within the simulated event. Exoplanets exhibiting detectable radio signals are highlighted in orange. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Status Report

Infrared-Radio-follow-up Observations for Detection of the Magnetic Radio Emission of Extra-Solar Planets: A New Window to Detect Exoplanets

by Keith CowingApril 23, 2024April 23, 2024

There are several methods for indirectly detecting exoplanets, such as transit, radial velocity, astrometry, and the conventional gravitational microlensing approach. These methods rely on observing the effects of exoplanets on […]

Artistic representation of cosmic rays entering the Earth's atmosphere -- AGU/Asimmetrie/INFN

Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Press Release, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics

Cosmic Rays Streamed Through Earth’s Atmosphere 41,000 Years Ago

by Keith CowingApril 20, 2024April 20, 2024

Earth’s magnetic field cocoons our planet from the onslaught of cosmic radiation streaming through space while also shielding us from charged particles hurled outward by the sun. But the geomagnetic […]

Radio sky in the 30 MHz–43 MHz (left) and 47 MHz–78 MHz bands (right); zenith is at the center of the images. Strong sources are labeled, notably including Jupiter and the Sun. In the lower frequency image, Jupiter is of comparable brightness to the Sun, illustrating that the starplanet intensity ratio can be of order unity at radio wavelengths. In the higher frequency image, the absence of Jupiter is consistent with the exceptionally strong cutoff of cyclotron maser emission where the local plasma frequency exceeds the local cyclotron frequency within the planet’s magnetosphere. (Images courtesy of M. Anderson)

Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Io, Jupiter, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Space Weather & Heliophysics, Status Report

Radio Observations As An Extrasolar Planet Discovery and Characterization: Interior Structure and Habitability

by Keith CowingApril 19, 2024April 19, 2024

Detection of radio emission from Jupiter was identified quickly as being due to its planetary-scale magnetic field. Subsequent spacecraft investigations have revealed that many of the planets, and even some […]

This is how chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS effect) manifests itself: Electrons (e– or red and green spheres with arrows indicating electron spin, either up or down) with the "wrong" direction of rotation (spin) are held back or filtered out when tunneling through spiral molecules, depending on the handedness of the spirals (left- or right-handed), so that one type of electron spin predominates (electrons with the arrow pointing downwards on the left side). The electric field of a metallic surface (E, pointing upwards, right side) shifts the electrons in the bound heptahelical molecules; these accumulate slightly in the lower part of the molecule near the surface. In the case of chiral molecules, electrons with different spins are also shifted differently depending on the handedness of the molecule. The molecule becomes "spin-polarized", i.e. also magnetic. Depending on the direction of magnetization of the metallic surface, chiral molecules therefore interact with it to different degrees. In this example, the purple spiral therefore binds more strongly to the surface than the yellow one, as opposite spins "attract" each other (the red and green electrons with different spins sitting on top of each other). Graphic: Empa

Astrochemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Press Release

Homochirality Of Life: Magnetic Effects At The Origin Of Life?

by Keith CowingFebruary 21, 2024February 21, 2024

The so-called homochirality of life – the fact that all biomolecules in living organisms only ever occur in one of two mirror-image forms – has puzzled a number of scientific […]

Astronomy & Telescopes, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Science Fiction, Status Report

Stellar Cartography: Using A Forest As A Neutrino Detector

by Keith CowingFebruary 19, 2024February 19, 2024

The primary challenge in detecting ultrahigh energy (UHE) neutrinos with energies exceeding 1016 eV is to instrument a large enough volume to detect the extremely low flux, which falls as […]

Contours for the ratio rH/rT of the two radii of circumplanetary disk. The red dashed line denotes the ratio rH/rT = 1. The area to the right of the red dashed line with rH/rT > 1 is favourable for moon’s survival and the area to the left with rH/rT < 1 is unfavourable for moon’s survival. -- astro-ph.EP

Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Status Report

Magnetic Field Of Gas Giant Exoplanets And Its Influence On The Retention Of Their Exomoons

by Keith CowingFebruary 13, 2024February 13, 2024

We study the magnetic and tidal interactions of a gas-giant exoplanet with its host star and with its exomoons, and focus on their retention. We briefly revisit the scaling law […]

Known explanets (as of 2023-03-01), based on exoplanet. eu (Schneider et al., 2011). Blue area: Planets with an orbital distance d < 0.2 AU, and a planetary mass M in the range 0.01 < M ≤ 2MJ ). In this parameter space, an extended planetary atmosphere could potentially lead to radio quenching. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Status Report

On The Required Mass For Exoplanetary Radio Emission

by Keith CowingDecember 8, 2023December 8, 2023

The detection of radio emission from an exoplanet would constitute the best way to determine its magnetic field.

Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,

The Oldest Undisputed Evidence Of Earth’s Magnetic Field

Exploring Radio Emissions from Confirmed Exoplanets Using SKA

To Find Life In The Universe, Look To Deadly Venus

Infrared-Radio-follow-up Observations for Detection of the Magnetic Radio Emission of Extra-Solar Planets: A New Window to Detect Exoplanets

Cosmic Rays Streamed Through Earth’s Atmosphere 41,000 Years Ago

Radio Observations As An Extrasolar Planet Discovery and Characterization: Interior Structure and Habitability

Homochirality Of Life: Magnetic Effects At The Origin Of Life?

Stellar Cartography: Using A Forest As A Neutrino Detector

Magnetic Field Of Gas Giant Exoplanets And Its Influence On The Retention Of Their Exomoons

On The Required Mass For Exoplanetary Radio Emission

PJ Harvey Announces New Song “Voyager”

Fifty Years after Viking: The Promise of Solar System Microbiology and Microbial Ecology

Characterising Transiting Exoplanets At Long Orbital Period: Lessons Learned For PLATO From 10 Years Of Monitoring The HIP41378 System

Implications Of Self-consistent H2O Ice Optical Constants On Radiative Transfer Models Of Disks

The GAPS Programme at TNG LXXIV. A Reanalysis Of The Planetary Systems TOI-1272 And TOI-1694 With HARPS-N And Retraction Of The Planetary Interpretation Of TOI-1272 c