Icy Worlds Archives

Summary of active metabolisms based on metabolic marker gene transcripts found in White Glacier; phyla performing each metabolism are marked by the pie charts; the size of each of the microorganisms reflects the relative transcript abundance of each metabolism and is not intended to represent quantitative differences in metabolic rates; created in BioRender. O’Connor, B. (2026) https://BioRender.com/vmkmdge -- ISME Communications via PubMed

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report

Bipolar Investigation Of Near-surface Glacial Ice Reveals An Active Microbial Ecosystem Driven By Photosynthesis And Chemolithoautotrophy

by Keith CowingJune 15, 2026June 15, 2026

Despite extreme conditions including freezing temperatures, low water activity, and few nutrients, active microorganisms are thought to inhabit glacial ice, yet little is known about their identities and methods of […]

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mars, Status Report

Coupling Dynamical Accretion And Chemical Differentiation: A Unified Framework For Earth-Mars Diversity

by Keith CowingJune 15, 2026June 15, 2026

The distinct physical and geochemical differences between Earth and Mars provide fundamental constraints on terrestrial planet formation, yet a self-consistent framework linking dynamical and chemical aspects remains elusive.

ESP_075413_1505 NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona https://www.uahirise.org/ESP_075413_1505

Astrogeology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Gullies On Martian Slopes

by Keith CowingJune 14, 2026June 26, 2026

The formation of gullies on Martian slopes is still under debate. Potential mechanisms include the melting of surface water ice, groundwater outbursts, or dry mass wasting processes (landslides).

GLS periodograms of individual wavelength contrast lightcurves. In each of the panels, the light pink, dark pink, and black highlighted lines are the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd 12CO bandheads, respectively. The grey horizontal lines indicate the 1%, 5%, and 10% false alarm probabilities. The black vertical lines indicate the expected rotation period at 8.7 hrs and its first integer harmonic at 4.35 hrs. The top panel shows the uncorrected periodogram, with all wavelengths significantly affected by systematic effects caused by the fibre coupling. The middle panel shows the periodogram after the polynomial correction, while the bottom panel adds Gaussian smoothing to this to highlight strong periodic signals. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Beta Pictoris, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

13CO And Potential Variability In β Pictoris b With GRAVITY+

by Keith CowingJune 14, 2026June 14, 2026

The 12CO/13CO ratio was introduced as an indicator for where in the disk a planet has formed. Previously a lower value compared to the host star’s was suggested to show […]

Simplified Earth models used in this study, showing the core, ordinary mantle, LLSVP, and crust partitions in a cross-section along the 180° meridian. (a) Homogeneous mantle model. (b) Heterogeneous mantle model with HPE-enriched LLSVP regions. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Status Report

Planetary Tomography: Towards Imaging Earth’s Large-scale Structures By Directional Geoneutrino Detection With Ocean Bottom Detector

by Keith CowingJune 13, 2026June 26, 2026

Editor’s note: when we start to examine other worlds more closely we are going to need tools that allow us to get the best possible understanding of those worlds’ construction […]

NIRSpec average spectrum of Titan (black) compared with a radiative transfer calculation in which the surface albedo decreases smoothly with wavelength beyond 4.9 µm (red). The blue line shows the difference between the observed and synthetic spectra, shifted by 0.005 for clarity. The 5.11-µm absorption is clearly missing in the model. The small mismatch below 4.93 µm is due to a component of the non-LTE CO emission not included in the model. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Pluto, Status Report, Titan

An Unidentified Absorption Feature At 5.11 μm On The Surface Of Titan And Pluto From JWST Spectroscopy

by Keith CowingJune 12, 2026June 12, 2026

Titan possesses a thick N2-CH4 atmosphere that makes it difficult to study its surface spectroscopically. The chemical composition of the solid surface of Titan thus remains very uncertain.

Optical depth spectrum and ENIIGMA best-fit model for the 4.0-4.45 µm region and its separate components. Major gas lines are labeled. The inset zooms in on the HDO ice feature. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

First Detection Of HDO Ice In A Protoplanetary Disk

by Keith CowingJune 11, 2026June 11, 2026

Protoplanetary disks are the birthplace of planets and planetary systems. Investigating the molecular inventory of disks is key to linking the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium and the makeup […]

a, Sub-ice topography, corrected for isostatic rebound due to ice removal3, with sharp topographic features enhanced by nonlinear filtering (Methods). The light grey lines are detected topographic lineaments interpreted as longitudinal normal faults forming the structural edges of the basins. The magenta and cyan lines represent detected topographic lineaments interpreted as either transverse strike–slip faults or associated normal faults that characterize the two circular shear belts shown in b (that is, the southern and northern TSCBs).

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Ice Planet Recon: Giant Fan-shaped Geological Structure Discovered Beneath East Antarctica

by Keith CowingJune 9, 2026June 26, 2026

Editor’s note: there are currently two advanced missions heading for the jovian system – Europa Clipper and ESA Juice – to study icy Europa and the other icy worlds orbiting […]

Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Life Support Systems, Missions & Hardware, Nanotechnology & SynBio, Status Report, Titan

Titan’s Resources and their Utilization

by Keith CowingJune 8, 2026June 8, 2026

Saturn’s moon Titan is a unique environment in the solar system. It is the only moon with an atmosphere, composed primarily of the gases N2 and CH4. It is also […]

Locations (yellow circles) of ROIs that include paterae, potential flows, and cryovolcanic candidate regions (K. Stephan et al. 2021a) on top of the global geological map of Ganymede from G. C. Collins et al. (2013). Mercator projection. -- The Planetary Science Journal

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Ganymede, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Status Report

Potential Cryovolcanic Regions on Ganymede: A Priority Target for JUICE

by Keith CowingJune 7, 2026June 26, 2026

One of the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission goals of the European Space Agency, launched in 2023 April, is the detailed characterization of Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon and a […]

Icy Worlds

Bipolar Investigation Of Near-surface Glacial Ice Reveals An Active Microbial Ecosystem Driven By Photosynthesis And Chemolithoautotrophy

Coupling Dynamical Accretion And Chemical Differentiation: A Unified Framework For Earth-Mars Diversity

Gullies On Martian Slopes

13CO And Potential Variability In β Pictoris b With GRAVITY+

Planetary Tomography: Towards Imaging Earth’s Large-scale Structures By Directional Geoneutrino Detection With Ocean Bottom Detector

An Unidentified Absorption Feature At 5.11 μm On The Surface Of Titan And Pluto From JWST Spectroscopy

First Detection Of HDO Ice In A Protoplanetary Disk

Ice Planet Recon: Giant Fan-shaped Geological Structure Discovered Beneath East Antarctica

Titan’s Resources and their Utilization

Potential Cryovolcanic Regions on Ganymede: A Priority Target for JUICE

Atmospheric Evolution Through Outgassing And Escape On Young Molten Rocky Exoplanets

The Exozodi Spectral Effect: Residual Habitable Zone Dust May Bias ExoEarth Characterization

The Majority Of Hot Jupiters Formed Beyond The Water Ice Line

Sulfur Photochemistry Observationally Traces Mantle Redox States Of Rocky Planets

Tracing The Source Of Carbon Oxides On The Large Moons Of Uranus