Despite the low solar irradiation it receives, Neptune shows a very active atmosphere with some of the most intense dynamics observed in Solar System atmospheres. Characterizing the atmospheric temperature profiles […]
Ice Giants
Posted inAstrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Icy Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus
Reassessing Planetary Composition: Evidence Of Rock-dominated Envelopes In Uranus And Neptune
Although Uranus and Neptune are commonly classified as ice giants, their exact compositions remain poorly constrained. Recent studies of outer Solar System bodies challenge the traditional view that these planets […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Missions & Hardware, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus
Ice Giants Pre-Decadal Survey Mission Study Report
The Ice Giants Study was commissioned by NASA to take a fresh look (as of 2017) at science priorities and concepts for missions to the Uranus and Neptune systems in […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Ice Giant, Icy Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Uranus
Ab Initio Entropy Calculations of Water Predict the Interiors of Uranus and Neptune to be 15-30% Colder than Previous Models
Ab initio free energy calculations are employed to derive the entropy of liquid and superionic water over a wide range of conditions in the interiors of Uranus and Neptune. The […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Status Report, Uranus
Atmospheric Science Questions for a Uranian Probe
The Ice Giants represent a unique and relatively poorly characterized class of planets that have been largely unexplored since the brief Voyager 2 flyby in the late 1980’s.