[UNLV] Water isn’t always as it seems. Under extreme conditions, such as those found on other planets, it has been discovered to change its atomic structure, giving it the means […]
astrogeology
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Identifying Deformed Exoplanets With JWST And Ariel: A Target Selection Metric For Phase Curve Observations
[astro-ph.EP] The shape of an exoplanet encodes fundamental information about its internal structure. For close-in giant planets, strong stellar tidal forces induce measurable deformations that can be probed through high-precision […]
![a) Large area EDS map of Nantan meteorite sample showing the distribution of detected elements. b) XPS SnapMaps of Nantan fragment showing the distribution of Fe and Ni. c) XRF maps of individual elements detected, with a focus on Fe and Ni. Three regions of interest are circled which were analyzed further, high Ni (green), low Ni (red), and the large inclusion (orange). -- [physics.geo-ph]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Correlative.png?resize=1200%2C713&ssl=1)
Posted inMeteorites & Asteroids
Correlative Microstructural Analysis of a Weathered Nantan Meteorite Fragment
[physics.geo-ph]. The weathering of iron-rich phases within meteorites is a multi-stage process that significantly alters the microstructure and chemical composition based both on the environmental condition at the location of […]
![ZTF image sequences of 3I before and after perihelion. Panel (a) shows the pre-perihelion images, and panel (b) shows the post-perihelion images. The observation time is marked in each panel. The white scale bars indicate angular distances of 30′′ in panel (a) and 60′′ in panel (b). All images are oriented with north up and east to the left. The cyan arrows labeled ⊙, −⊙, and −v indicate the projected solar, anti-solar, and anti-velocity directions, respectively, and the cyan cross marks the photometric center. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Dust-Activity.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inComets and Asteroids
Dust Activity Evolution and Constraints on Icy Grains in the Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
[astro-ph.EP] We present Zwicky Transient Facility observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS to characterize its dust-activity evolution before and after perihelion.
![Relative emissivity spectrum of 2P/Encke’s nucleus obtained by the COMICS observations, in comparison with that of 460P/PanSTARRS (T. Ootsubo et al. 2021). The spectrum of 460P/PanSTARRS (in grey) is shifted by 0.1 for the readability. The grey hatched area is the wavelength region influenced by the telluric ozone absorption. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Photometric.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
Posted inComets and Asteroids
Photometric and Spectroscopic Observations of Comet 2P/Encke’s Nucleus in the Mid-Infrared Wavelength Region
[astro-ph.EP] We observed comet 2P/Encke with the Cooled Mid-Infrared Camera and Spectrometer (COMICS) on the Subaru telescope on UT 2003 November 12.3, when the comet was at heliocentric and geocentric […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Ring Pattern Reveal The Mechanism By Which Unseen Planets And Dust Particles Gather On Their Own
[Kyushu University] Planetary systems like our solar system are born within a disk of gas and dust (protoplanetary disk) surrounding a newly formed star. Observations with the ALMA telescope have […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Capture of Interstellar Planetesimals in Protoplanetary Discs in Binary Star Systems
[astro-ph.EP] Planet formation requires growth over 12 orders of magnitude in size, from micron-sized dust grains to fully formed planets.
![[LEFT] Extended Seasonal evolution of total atmospheric optical depth across 669 Sol (a) Total atmospheric optical depth for the control simulation (b) Total atmospheric optical depth under singleinjection aluminium nanoparticle substitution (c) Total optical-depth anomaly between the seeded and control simulations, showing the temporal evolution of the radiative effect associated with the aerosol substitution Extended [RIGHT]] Seasonal evolution of aerosol optical depth across 669 Sol (a) Aerosol optical depth for the control simulation, showing the spatial and temporal distribution of the background aerosol (b) Aerosol optical depth under single-injection aluminium nanoparticle substitution (c) Aerosol optical-depth anomaly between the seeded and control simulations, showing the evolution and decay of the aerosol optical signal in the absence of continuous replenishment. -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/3D-Global.png?resize=1200%2C714&ssl=1)
Posted inTerraforming & Geoengineering
3D Global Climate Simulations of Synthetic Mars Warming
[astro-ph.EP] Artificial warming via engineered aerosols presents a novel pathway to bypass volatile scarcity on modern Mars.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes
ALMA Reveals Planetary Formation Structures In Small Disks
[ALMA] Thanks to the extraordinary sharpness of ALMA’s images, a research team has discovered rings, grooves, and cavities in extremely compact disks surrounding young stars.
![Latitude-longitude maps of mean water vapour and hydrogen chloride volume mixing ratios and coefficient of variation (standard deviation divided by the mean) in percentage form at 20.91 km altitude. The values are calculated over four Venus solar days (468 Earth days). --[astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/How-long.png?resize=1200%2C717&ssl=1)
Posted inVenus
How Long Could Volcanic Plumes Persist In The Venus Atmosphere?
[astro-ph.EP] Resolving the ambiguity surrounding current Venusian volcanism is a primary objective for upcoming missions like EnVision and VERITAS.