The discovery of ubiquitous habitable extrasolar planets, combined with revolutionary advances in instrumentation and observational capabilities, has ushered in a renaissance in the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI). Large scale […]
astro-ph.IM
Posted inAstrochemistry, Press Release
Photoprocessing Of Formamide Ice: Route Towards Prebiotic Chemistry In Space
Aims. Formamide (HCONH2) is the simplest molecule containing the peptide bond first detected in the gas phase in Orion-KL and SgrB2. In recent years, it has been observed in high […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Press Release
Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission
We examined the solar gravitational lens (SGL) as the means to produce direct high-resolution, multipixel images of exoplanets. The properties of the SGL are remarkable: it offers maximum light amplification […]
Posted inPress Release, Titan
Experimental Study Of Ethylene Evaporites Under Titan Conditions
Titan has an abundance of lakes and seas, as confirmed by Cassini. Major components of these liquid bodies include methane (CH4) and ethane (C2H6); however, evidence indicates that minor components […]
Posted inPress Release, SETI & Technosignatures
First SETI Observations with China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST)
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) attempts to address the possibility of the presence of technological civilizations beyond the Earth. Benefiting from high sensitivity, large sky coverage, an innovative feed […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Press Release
The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory (HabEx) Mission Concept Study Final Report
The Habitable Exoplanet Observatory, or HabEx, has been designed to be the Great Observatory of the 2030s. For the first time in human history, technologies have matured sufficiently to enable […]
Posted inPress Release, SETI & Technosignatures
Choosing a Maximum Drift Rate in a SETI Search: Astrophysical Considerations
A radio transmitter which is accelerating with a non-zero radial component with respect to a receiver will produce a signal that appears to change its frequency over time. This effect, […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Press Release
Wavefront Error Tolerancing For Direct Imaging Of Exo-Earths With A Large Segmented Telescope In Space
Direct imaging of exo-Earths and search for life is one of the most exciting and challenging objectives for future space observatories. Segmented apertures in space will be required to reach […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Obtaining a History of the Flux of Cosmic Rays using In Situ Cosmogenic 14C Trapped in Polar Ice
Carbon-14 (14C) is produced in the atmosphere when neutrons from cosmic-ray air showers are captured by 14N nuclei. Atmospheric 14C becomes trapped in air bubbles in polar ice as compacted […]
Posted inHabitable Zones, Press Release
Simultaneous Optical Transmission Spectroscopy of a Terrestrial, Habitable-Zone Exoplanet with Two Ground-Based Multi-Object Spectrographs
Investigating the atmospheres of rocky exoplanets is key to performing comparative planetology between such worlds and the terrestrial planets that reside in the inner Solar System. Terrestrial exoplanet atmospheres exhibit […]