Cosmic Rays Archives

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.

Simulation results of abundance ratios [H2O2]/[H2O] (black lines), [H2]/[H2O] (orange lines), and [O2]/[H2O] (blue lines) with our model (model A) at 16 K (solid lines) and 77 K (dashed lines). The gray shaded and line filled regions show the experimental results of [H2O2]/[H2O] by Gomis et al. (2004a) at 16 and 77 K, respectively, with an assumed uncertainty of a factor of 3. -- astro-ph.GA

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Simulation Of Proton Radiolysis Of H2O And O2 Ices With The Nautilus Code

by Keith CowingFebruary 25, 2026February 25, 2026

The radiolysis effect of cosmic rays (CRs) plays an important role in the chemistry in molecular clouds. CRs can dissociate the molecules on dust grains, producing reactive suprathermal species and […]

This image from a map of Jezero Crater shows the area NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is currently exploring, including Belva Crater, just below the center of the image. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/USGS-Flagstaff/JHU-APL -- NASA Larger image

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Radiation, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Sample Return, Status Report

Recent Production Rates Of Cosmogenic Nuclides In The Igneous Rocks of Jezero Crater Floor, Mars

by Keith CowingJanuary 2, 2026January 2, 2026

The Perseverance rover has collected rock samples from the floor of Jezero crater, Mars, set to be returned to Earth through the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission. These surface rocks […]

Evidence for the formation of two-center one-electron (2c–1e) bonds in the predissociation complexes of the radical cations in ethanolamine (A), propanol (B), butanenitrile (C), and glycolamide (D). The ELF basins are shown in the left column, the projections into the heavy atom planes are shown in the second column, the spin densities for the unpaired electrons are shown in the third column, and the 2c–1e AdNDP orbitals are shown in the right column. -- Chemical Science

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

What Drives The Formation Of Unsaturated Molecules In The Interstellar Medium?

by Keith CowingJanuary 20, 2025January 19, 2025

We present a computational investigation into the fragmentation pathways of ethanolamine (C2H7NO, EtA), propanol (C3H8O, PrO), butanenitrile (C4H7N, BuN), and glycolamide (C2H5NO2, GlA)—saturated organic molecules detected in the interstellar medium […]

Habitable Zones, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics, Status Report

Space Weather Forecasts: Monitoring The Daily Variation of Sun-Earth Magnetic Fields Using Galactic Cosmic Rays

by Keith CowingOctober 16, 2024October 16, 2024

The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) between the Sun and Earth is an extension of the solar magnetic field carried by the solar wind into interplanetary space.

This image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) of star-forming region NGC 604 shows how stellar winds from bright, hot, young stars carve out cavities in surrounding gas and dust. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report, Stellar Cartography

Astrochemistry On Galactic Scales

by Keith CowingSeptember 6, 2024September 6, 2024

The increasing number of observations towards different environments in the Milky Way, as well as theoretical and experimental works, are improving our knowledge of the astrochemical processes in the interstellar […]

Artistic representation of cosmic rays entering the Earth's atmosphere -- AGU/Asimmetrie/INFN

Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Magnetic Fields, Electromagnetism, bioelectricity,, Press Release, Radiation, Space Weather & Heliophysics

Cosmic Rays Streamed Through Earth’s Atmosphere 41,000 Years Ago

by Keith CowingApril 20, 2024April 20, 2024

Earth’s magnetic field cocoons our planet from the onslaught of cosmic radiation streaming through space while also shielding us from charged particles hurled outward by the sun. But the geomagnetic […]

Magnification: 160x, bright field (negative image), stacked image Fundort / Site: Barbados Alter / Age: approx. 32-35 million years (late Eocene - early Oligocene) Präparation / Preparation: Andreas Drews Radiolarians are unicellulars of diameter 0.1–0.2 mm that produce intricate mineral skeletons, typically with a central capsule dividing the cell into the inner and outer portions of endoplasm and ectoplasm.The elaborate mineral skeleton is usually made of silica. They are found as zooplankton throughout the ocean, and their skeletal remains make up a large part of the cover of the ocean floor as siliceous ooze. Due to their rapid turn-over of species, they represent an important diagnostic fossil found from the Cambrian onwards. -- Wikipedia

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Stellar Cartography, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Cosmic Radiation Drives Quasi-periodic Changes In The Diversity Of Siliceous Marine Microplankton

by Keith CowingFebruary 15, 2024

Radiolarians are significant contributors to the oceanic primary productivity and the global silica cycle in the last 500 Myr. Their diversity throughout the Phanerozoic shows periodic fluctuations.

Schematic diagrams highlighting the interesting components of emission from a binary neutron star merger at two different temporal and spatial scales. In (a), the system is shown at sub-parsec scales and within the first few years after the merger. The locations of gamma-ray emission in the dynamical ejecta and the cocoon surrounding the jet are highlighted, as well as the X-ray emission from the interaction between the jet and the interstellar medium (ISM). While the jet and cocoon emission are short-lived, the afterglow produces continuum emission for many years. Only the emitted X-rays produce the fluence that could be lethal. The kilonova, i.e., the UV/optical/IR emission powered by radioactivity in the ejecta, is also shown for additional context, but is undetectable after a week. In (b), the larger, late-time structure of the remnant is shown with the long-since dissipated jet location indicated. The explosion from the merger will launch a strong shock that sweeps out a bubble-like structure as it expands through the ISM, which is a source of potentially threatening cosmic rays. -- astro-ph.HE

Astronomy & Telescopes, Extinction events, Radiation, Status Report

Could A Kilonova Kill: A Threat Assessment

by Keith CowingOctober 19, 2023October 19, 2023

Binary neutron star mergers (BNS) produce high-energy emissions from several physically different sources, including a gamma-ray burst (GRB) and its afterglow, a kilonova, and, at late times, a remnant many […]

Habitable Zones, Radiation

The Possible Effect of Cosmic Rays on Terrestrial Climate

by Keith CowingAugust 26, 2013

The problem of the contribution of cosmic rays to climate change is a continuing one and one of importance. In principle, at least, the recent results from the CLOUD project […]

Cosmic Rays

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

Simulation Of Proton Radiolysis Of H2O And O2 Ices With The Nautilus Code

Recent Production Rates Of Cosmogenic Nuclides In The Igneous Rocks of Jezero Crater Floor, Mars

What Drives The Formation Of Unsaturated Molecules In The Interstellar Medium?

Space Weather Forecasts: Monitoring The Daily Variation of Sun-Earth Magnetic Fields Using Galactic Cosmic Rays

Astrochemistry On Galactic Scales

Cosmic Rays Streamed Through Earth’s Atmosphere 41,000 Years Ago

Cosmic Radiation Drives Quasi-periodic Changes In The Diversity Of Siliceous Marine Microplankton

Could A Kilonova Kill: A Threat Assessment

The Possible Effect of Cosmic Rays on Terrestrial Climate

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