astrogeology Archives

Mars vast clay region - View showing the transition between clay units in the Oxia Planum and Mawrth Vallis regions on Mars, taken by the HiRISE camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. -- ESA Larger image

Analog Studies, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Desert Worlds, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Terraforming & Geoengineering, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Rover Targets A Vast Bed Of Clay In Its Search For Life

by Keith CowingJune 4, 2026June 26, 2026

In the region where the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover will search for signs of life, clay deposits extend beyond previous estimates, a new study finds. One hypothesis even suggests a […]

Astrobiology (general), Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Citizen Science / Open Science, Education and Outreach, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

NWA Citizen Science Call 2026 (Astrobiology, Origin of life, Biosignatures)

by Keith CowingJune 2, 2026June 2, 2026

Dear all, We would like to draw your attention to the NWA Citizen Science Call 2026. This call offers citizen collectives the opportunity to investigate a societal question together with […]

Abundances (w.r.t. H nuclei) of main C and O carriers in the baseline and full chemistry models without transport. C species represent the combination of all species containing carbon, but not oxygen; O species represent the species containing oxygen, but not carbon; C+O species represent the species containing both carbon and oxygen. From all the grouped species, the initially present H2O, CO2 , CO and CH4 are excluded. Solid lines represent ice-phase species, and dashed lines represent gas-phase species. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Metamorphoses Of Carbon And Oxygen In Protoplanetary Discs: How Chemistry And Radial Drift Transform Inner Disc C/O Ratios

by Keith CowingJune 2, 2026June 2, 2026

The chemical composition of a protoplanetary disc is sensitive to its thermal structure and dust properties, and can provide insights into the disc evolution.

The changing mantle FeO and SiO2 of 8 Earth analogues as they grow through the simulation. The black dashed line and the grey band show the BSE concentrations of FeO and SiO2 (Palme and O’Neill, 2003) and the uncertainties on these values. The left-hand figure contains an insert that allows for a clearer view of the point at which the embryo masses reach 1 Earth Mass. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Meteorites & Asteroids, Press Release

Oxidation Constraints On Terrestrial Planet Formation From A Ring

by Keith CowingJune 2, 2026June 2, 2026

The present-day solar system comprises meteorites with varying oxidation levels, derived from different parent bodies.

An artist rendering of the Curiosity rover with its scientific instruments labeled. Scientists used the Chemistry and Minerology (CheMin) instrument to perform X-ray diffraction analysis on samples of powdered rock. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Tricorders & Sensors

NASA Uses Mineralogical Marker to Understand Ancient Martian Climate

by Keith CowingJune 1, 2026June 1, 2026

While NASA imagery has shown evidence of ancient rivers and lakes on Mars that transitioned to dry dunes, uncertainty remains over the timing of the environmental changes that may have […]

Integrated intensity maps of the dust continuum

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

The Asymmetric Carbon-rich Chemistry 0f The planet-forming Disk 0f HD 142527 Triggered By Late Infall

by Keith CowingJune 1, 2026June 1, 2026

The planet-forming disk of HD 142527 is known for its azimuthally asymmetric dust trap, shadows, and spiral arms.

Evolutions of fiducial planetesimals with different chondritic compositions. Each plot is the contour of one quantity across time and radial location. Note that the total radius decreases due to sintering. From top row to bottom: EH, OC, CV, and CI bodies. Physical quantities from left to right: (i) temperature, (ii) condensed + gaseous C abundance normalized to the initial reservoir; > 1 relative abundance occurs due to sintering concentrating C, (iii) porosity and (iv) gas pressure; hatched areas are completely sintered with no meaningful gas pressure. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Meteorites & Asteroids, Status Report

Modeling Carbon Outgassing From Chondritic Planetesimals

by Keith CowingJune 1, 2026June 1, 2026

The thermochemical evolution of planetesimals is an underprobed stage of volatile delivery to terrestrial planets during their formation, and may contribute to the volatile depletion of the Earth relative to […]

Simulation of a planet embedded in a protoplanetary disc, causing disc material to pile up in a ring exterior to its orbit – Credit: Amena Faruqi / University of Warwick Credit Amena Faruqi / University of Warwick

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Stellar Cartography

Weighing Newborn Planets Using Their Dusty Fingerprints

by Keith CowingMay 29, 2026May 29, 2026

A team of astronomers, led by University of Warwick in collaboration with researchers at MIT and McMaster, have developed a novel method to use the properties of dust rings around […]

Completeness of our GaiaPMEX search for binaries. Each panel represents one of the GaiaPMEX references. The shaded area shows the completeness of the combined RUWE+PMa signal, with the dotted blue line and the dashed red line indicating the 50% contour level given by RUWE and PMa alone, respectively. Overplotted are SHINE detections, each assigned to the closest reference star to its target. Squares indicate stars with no RUWE and PMa measurements; triangles represent stars without PMa; dots indicate stars with both RUWE and PMa. The companions are colored according to their detection method: red (DI), gold (RV), green (GaiaNSS), black (GaiaPMEX); those also detected by GaiaPMEX have a black edge. Finally, violet markers indicate companions, only detected by GaiaPMEX, with a minimum mass in the substellar regime. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Status Report, Stellar Cartography

The SPHERE Infrared Survey For Exoplanets (SHINE) V. Full Sample Characterization

by Keith CowingMay 29, 2026May 29, 2026

Surveys of large stellar samples are the prime means through which the prevalence of exoplanets can be derived, and crucial constraints to planet formation models can be set.

ID: ESP_092088_1695 date: 19 March 2026 altitude: 261 km NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona larger image

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Mesas Of Layered Sedimentary Rocks In Valles Marineris

by Keith CowingMay 28, 2026June 26, 2026

Valles Marineris, like the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, provides a spectacular look at the geologic history via layered sediments that get older with depth.

astrogeology

ExoMars Rosalind Franklin Astrobiology Rover Targets A Vast Bed Of Clay In Its Search For Life

NWA Citizen Science Call 2026 (Astrobiology, Origin of life, Biosignatures)

Metamorphoses Of Carbon And Oxygen In Protoplanetary Discs: How Chemistry And Radial Drift Transform Inner Disc C/O Ratios

Oxidation Constraints On Terrestrial Planet Formation From A Ring

NASA Uses Mineralogical Marker to Understand Ancient Martian Climate

The Asymmetric Carbon-rich Chemistry 0f The planet-forming Disk 0f HD 142527 Triggered By Late Infall

Modeling Carbon Outgassing From Chondritic Planetesimals

Weighing Newborn Planets Using Their Dusty Fingerprints

The SPHERE Infrared Survey For Exoplanets (SHINE) V. Full Sample Characterization

Mesas Of Layered Sedimentary Rocks In Valles Marineris

Dinosaur-killing Asteroid Also Created A Dust Cloud That Insulated Earth, Charbroiling Cretaceous Creatures

Current Water Trapping Micro-habitats On The Surface Of Mars

Methanotrophy Under Extreme Alkalinity In A Serpentinizing System

ANDES, The High-resolution Spectrograph Oof The ELT: Simulated Performance Of The CORO Module And Overview Of The High-contrast Capabilities For Exoplanet Observations

When Polymers Meet Primitive Membranes: How Molecular Cooperation May Have Helped Life Begin