Prior studies have hypothesized that some polluted white dwarfs record continent-like granitic crust–which is abundant on Earth and perhaps uniquely indicative of plate tectonics. But these inferences derive from only […]
astrogeology
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, SETI & Technosignatures
On The Possibility Of An Artificial Origin For `Oumuamua
Science offers the privilege of following evidence, not prejudice. The first interstellar object discovered near Earth, Oumuamua, showed half a dozen anomalies relative to comets or asteroids in the Solar […]
Posted inAstrogeology
The Earth Has A Pulse
Geologic activity on Earth appears to follow a 27.5-million-year cycle, giving the planet a “pulse,” according to a new study published in the journal Geoscience Frontiers. “Many geologists believe that […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Where On Earth Is All The Water?
High-temperature and high-pressure experiments involving a diamond anvil and chemicals to simulate the core of the young Earth demonstrate for the first time that hydrogen can bond strongly with iron […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Earth's Carbon Deficit Caused By Early Loss Through Irreversible Sublimation
Carbon is an essential element for life but its behavior during Earth’s accretion is not well understood. Carbonaceous grains in meteoritic and cometary materials suggest that irreversible sublimation, and not […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Early Earth's Hot Mantle May Have Led To An Archean Water World
A vast global ocean may have covered early Earth during the early Archean eon, 4 to 3.2 billion years ago, a side effect of having a hotter mantle than today, […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Modeling Stellar Abundance Patterns Resulting From The Addition Of Earthlike Planetary Material
The literature on precision differential abundances (PDAs) in stars is extensive. Surveys include sun-like stars in the solar neighborhood, binary systems, and Galactic clusters. Numerous references as well as a […]
Posted inAstrogeology
New study of Earth's Crust Shows Global Growth Spurt Three Billion Years Ago
Curtin University researchers have used ancient crystals from eroded rocks found in stream sediments in Greenland to successfully test the theory that portions of Earth’s ancient crust acted as ‘seeds’ […]
Posted inAstrogeology
In Situ Geochronology For The Next Decade: Mission Designs For The Moon, Mars, And Vesta
Geochronology, or determination of absolute ages for geologic events, underpins many inquiries into the formation and evolution of planets and our Solar System. Absolute ages of ancient and recent magmatic […]
Posted inAstrogeology
Statistics of the Chemical Composition of Solar Analog Stars and Links to Planet Formation
The Sun has been found to be depleted in refractory (rock-forming) elements relative to nearby solar analogs, suggesting a potential indicator of planet formation. Given the small amplitude of the […]