When a meteoroid strikes, it generates a wave of energy that moves faster than the speed of sound. When all that energy propagates through material in seconds or less before […]
BASALT
Posted inAnalog Studies, Astrogeology, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Status Report
Gorgona Island (Colombia) As A Terrestrial Analog Of Syrtis Major (Mars): Evidence From Geochemical Meta-analyses And Compositional Figures Of Merit
The identification of terrestrial analogs is a key strategy for advancing our understanding of the geological and geochemical evolution of Mars.
![The measured planet-to-star flux ratio as a function of wavelength compared to a range of solid slab surfaces. The observations were taken using Spitzer (blue square-shaped marker) and JWST (red circle-shaped markers). The error bars on the data are 1σ. A selection of models, taken from Ref. [12], represent solid slab surfaces with varying compositions. Solid orange line: an ultramafic, olivine clinopyroxenite EG-19-63 sample (∼ 47 wt% SiO2) recovered from Emigrant Gap, California, USA, which shows good agreement with the observations. Dashed blue line: a mafic, basaltic sample from the 1919 Kilauea eruption in Hawaii, USA (∼ 51 wt% SiO2) that is also consistent with the data. Dashed, dotted green line: a felsic sample representing the highest SiO2 content model (∼ 73 wt% SiO2) published in Ref. [12]. The legend lists the rejection significances of these models. With a solid black line, we also show a 1000 K black body curve for the planet, which is the best fit value using the combined Spitzer and JWST dataset. -- astro-ph.EP](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/The-dark-and-featureless.png?resize=1200%2C721&ssl=1)
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Status Report
The Dark And Featureless Surface Of Rocky Exoplanet LHS 3844 b From JWST Mid-infrared Spectroscopy
JWST has opened a new era in the study of rocky exoplanets, enabling direct characterization of their surfaces with mid-infrared spectroscopy. Different types of rock have distinct spectral features that […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Status Report
Mantle Convection And Nightside Volcanism On Lava World K2-141 b
Ultra-short period lava worlds offer a unique window into the coupled evolution of planetary interior and atmospheres under extreme irradiation.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Scientists Compile Library For Evaluating Exoplanet Water
By probing chemical processes observed in the Earth’s hot mantle, Cornell scientists have started developing a library of basalt-based spectral signatures that not only will help reveal the composition of […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Away Teams & Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors
Away Team Tech: The BASALT Research Program
The articles associated with this Special Collection focus on the NASA BASALT (Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains) Research Program, which aims at answering the question, “How do we […]