[ACS] Subsurface oceans inside icy moons are expected to contain dissolved salts whose crystallization controls the mineralogy of their hydrospheres and potentially their surfaces.
Imaging & Spectroscopy
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Systematic Uncertainties in Rocky Exoplanet Reflected Light from Incomplete Laboratory BRDF Measurements
[astro-ph.EP] The first observations of short-period rocky exoplanets have initiated the era of terrestrial exoplanet characterization. The interpretation of these observations relies on forward models used in atmospheric and surface […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Chemical Abundance Patterns at z=1-7: Carbon, Nitrogen, Neon, Sulphur, and Argon Abundances From JWST Spectroscopy
[astro-ph.GA] The relative abundances of chemical elements in the interstellar medium (ISM) trace the history of star formation and chemical enrichment in galaxies.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes
Optimization of Petal-Shaped Occulters for Exo-Earth Observation
[astro-ph.IM] Petal-shaped occulters are giant, formation-flying optical devices designed for use in space astronomy.
![Longitude–height structure of the rotational component of the stationary s = 1 zonal wind anomaly, near the Huygens latitude band during Ls = 290◦–310◦ -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Topographically.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inTitan
Topographically Forced Stationary Waves Can Explain The Near-Surface Zonal Winds Observed By Huygens On Titan
[astro-ph.EP] Titan’s equatorial superrotation is associated with climatological retrograde (westward) near-surface winds at low latitudes, as consistently simulated by Titan general circulation models.
![Optical layout of the HRI Imager. Light from the telescope focal plane is folded by COL-M1, collimated by COL-M2 to a 40 mm pupil where the forward interchange mechanism divides the beam, and re-imaged by four surfaces in each arm. Seven reflections separate the telescope from the UVIS detector and six from the NIR detector, which is the shortest path we found that meets the requirements of Section 2, and the basis of the throughput and coating arguments of Section 3.8. -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/A-design-concept.jpg?resize=1200%2C722&ssl=1)
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes
A Design Concept For The High Resolution Imager On The Habitable Worlds Observatory
[astro-ph.IM] The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will be NASA’s next flagship astrophysics mission, designed to search for signs of life on planets around nearby stars and conduct transformational science across […]
![In order to select our final Prime Mission targets, we plotted each target in our long list to show the range of planet radius and stellar host effective temperatures covered. We selected the top 10 gaseous (above 1.9 R⊕) and top 10 terrestrial (below 1.9 R⊕) targets to be our 20 Prime Mission targets, as indicated by the black ringed points. An additional 20 targets were selected as Secondary Targets as backups to the Prime Mission targets, shown with red rings. -- [astro-ph.IM]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/The-Pandora.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
The Pandora SmallSat: Target Selection and Early Science
[astro-ph.IM]. The Pandora spacecraft is a smallsat selected in NASA’s inaugural class of Pioneers missions.
Posted inArctic / Antarctic / Alpine
Microbial Mats Influence The Isotopic Composition And Provenance of Soil Organic Matter In The McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
[Biogeosciences via ESS Open Archive] In the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica, microbial mats are responsible for primary productivity in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems; yet their influence on soil […]
Posted inBiosignatures & Paleobiology
From Searching For Extraterrestrial Biosignatures To Exploring The Origins Of Life: A Prebiotic Chemistry Perspective
[Fundamental Research]. The search for extraterrestrial life represents one of humanity’s most profound scientific endeavors. This review examines the role of prebiotic chemistry in our quest to detect extraterrestrial life.
Posted inInterstellar
Assessment Of The Mass Loss And Radius Change Of 3I/ATLAS Based On Observed Production Rates
[astro-ph.EP] Formed from the debris of planet formation, interstellar comets provide invaluable insights into the chemical compositions of planetary systems outside of our Solar System.