ice Archives

Summary of active metabolisms based on metabolic marker gene transcripts found in White Glacier; phyla performing each metabolism are marked by the pie charts; the size of each of the microorganisms reflects the relative transcript abundance of each metabolism and is not intended to represent quantitative differences in metabolic rates; created in BioRender. O’Connor, B. (2026) https://BioRender.com/vmkmdge -- ISME Communications via PubMed

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Sample Return, Status Report

Bipolar Investigation Of Near-surface Glacial Ice Reveals An Active Microbial Ecosystem Driven By Photosynthesis And Chemolithoautotrophy

by Keith CowingJune 15, 2026June 15, 2026

Despite extreme conditions including freezing temperatures, low water activity, and few nutrients, active microorganisms are thought to inhabit glacial ice, yet little is known about their identities and methods of […]

Previous vs. current microbe-integrated ocean world model setups. Previous models (left) include ambient temperatures, hydroxide effluent, circumneutral pH's, and effluent-bacteria integration (Barge et al., 2015; Hermis et al., 2021; Dickson et al., 2022). This study (right) includes thermal gradients, FeOOH/sulfide rich effluent (brine fluid), acidic reservoir pH, and planktonic lake extremophile integration. -- FRONTIERS,

AI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Probing The Habitability Of Potential Sulfuric Acid Rich Subsurface Lakes In Europa’s Ice Shell Via Saci/STIV Integrated Models

by Keith CowingJune 2, 2026June 2, 2026

Experimentally modeling the habitability of extreme ocean world conditions, such as those on Jupiter’s moon: Europa, would benefit from integrated microbe-virus model studies to provide both a microbial model and […]

Figure a) shows the final geometry of the cluster scenario, after all 10 CO2 molecules have been adsorbed, Figure b) shows the final geometry of the far scenario, after all 10 CO2 molecules have been adsorbed. Colour-coding: white, H atoms; grey, C atoms; red, O atoms. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Fizzy Water Ice In Space: CO2 Adsorption, Binding Energies And Its Fate In A Protoplanetary Disk

by Keith CowingMay 15, 2026May 15, 2026

Context: CO2 is the third most abundant ice component found on dust grains in star-forming regions and a common ingredient of exoplanet atmospheres. Characterization of its adsorption properties on ices […]

As Fig. 3 in the main text, but showing results for different monolayer thicknesses of the active surface (as indicated on top of each panel). For clarity, only those species with a relative abundance of over 1% are labeled on the pie charts. The fiducial 100 ML model is also included for reference.-- astro-ph.GA

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

Modeling The UV-photon Irradiation Of CS2-bearing Ices In The Laboratory With The pyRate Gas-grain Astrochemical Code. New Insights Into The Missing Sulfur Problem

by Keith CowingMay 7, 2026May 7, 2026

Observations indicate that the total abundance of S-bearing species in dense clouds is orders of magnitude lower than the cosmic sulfur abundance.

IRAS 15398 JWST NIRSpec spectrum (Program ID 1854, PI: M. McClure), NIRSpec Prism spectrum (Program ID 6161, PI: K. Slavicinska), and MIRI-MRS spectrum (Program ID 2151, PI: Y.-L. Yang) with the radiative transfer model spectrum extracted in a 1” diameter overlaid in black. Data points which hit the noise floor from the G395H and Prism data were removed. A spectrum zoomed in to the NIR CO2 and CO absorption is shown in Appendix E. -- astro-ph.SR

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

CORINOS V: Radiative Transfer Effects In Protostellar Ice Observations

by Keith CowingMay 2, 2026May 2, 2026

Recent observations of protostars with the James Webb Space Telescope have revealed unprecedented chemical complexity from their ice absorption features.

Silhouetted against the blue sky, a drone carrying a ground-penetrating radar instrument lifts off from Galena Creek Rock Glacier in Wyoming. -- Jack W. Holt

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release

Drone Radar Reveals Buried Glaciers On Earth, Guiding The Search For Water On Mars

by Keith CowingMay 1, 2026May 1, 2026

Understanding how to explore hidden glaciers on Mars begins not in a laboratory, but in remote field camps across Alaska and Wyoming.

Our fits to the OCN− and CO absorption features toward three of the studied objects.

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

JOYS+ Analyses Of OCN−, N2O, NO, And Complex Cyanides In Ices — Thermal Processing Results In Modest Enhancement Of OCN− Ice

by Keith CowingApril 30, 2026April 30, 2026

Nitrogen-bearing molecules are more difficult to observe than oxygen-bearing ones, mainly due to the lower abundance of nitrogen in the interstellar medium.

(A) Schematic of the ice growth apparatus. (B) Image of the ice growth apparatus shortly after the onset of an experiment. (C) The ~50-cm-thick Europa 2 ice column immediately after extraction. The column is placed upside down to reduce brine loss from the highly porous basal region of the ice. (D) Ice columns subsectioned into smaller, more easily workable pieces and scored at 2-cm intervals in preparation for vertical partitioning. (E) The scored subsections in (D) were cut using an electric band saw, and the 2-cm layers were placed into 500-ml high-density polyethylene amber Nalgene sample bottles. These samples were subsequently melted, filtered, and processed via IC, ICP-OES, and NDIR spectroscopy to acquire our ionic composition and ionic fractionation profiles. -- Science Advances via PubMed

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Ganymede, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Polar / Alpine Expeditions, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

As Above, Not So Below: Ion Fractionation In Planetary Analog Ices

by Keith CowingApril 25, 2026April 25, 2026

The geophysical evolution and astrobiological potential of ocean worlds are indelibly linked to the chemical compositions of their oceans and ice shells.

ID: ESP_076844_2550 date: 18 December 2022 altitude: 316 km -- NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Larger image

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Desert Worlds, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Translucent Ice On Martian Dunes

by Keith CowingApril 21, 2026April 21, 2026

Coordinating with the CaSSIS instrument on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, we acquired an image at this site for seasonal monitoring.

Graphical Abstract -- ACS Central Science

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

Nonequilibrium Synthesis of Glycolamide (NH2COCH2OH), a Precursor to Amino Acids, on Interstellar Nanoparticles

by Keith CowingApril 8, 2026April 8, 2026

Complex organic molecules (COMs) are thought to form in cold interstellar environments, yet the chemical routes to key prebiotic precursors remain poorly understood. Glycine, the simplest amino acid, has not […]

ice

Bipolar Investigation Of Near-surface Glacial Ice Reveals An Active Microbial Ecosystem Driven By Photosynthesis And Chemolithoautotrophy

Probing The Habitability Of Potential Sulfuric Acid Rich Subsurface Lakes In Europa’s Ice Shell Via Saci/STIV Integrated Models

Fizzy Water Ice In Space: CO2 Adsorption, Binding Energies And Its Fate In A Protoplanetary Disk

Modeling The UV-photon Irradiation Of CS2-bearing Ices In The Laboratory With The pyRate Gas-grain Astrochemical Code. New Insights Into The Missing Sulfur Problem

CORINOS V: Radiative Transfer Effects In Protostellar Ice Observations

Drone Radar Reveals Buried Glaciers On Earth, Guiding The Search For Water On Mars

JOYS+ Analyses Of OCN−, N2O, NO, And Complex Cyanides In Ices — Thermal Processing Results In Modest Enhancement Of OCN− Ice

As Above, Not So Below: Ion Fractionation In Planetary Analog Ices

Translucent Ice On Martian Dunes

Nonequilibrium Synthesis of Glycolamide (NH2COCH2OH), a Precursor to Amino Acids, on Interstellar Nanoparticles

Perseverance Astrobiology Rover – A Selfie While Working

NASA ROSES-25 Amendment 60: Due Date Extended for C.2 Solar System Science

Demographics Of Planet-forming Disks With The SKAO

Chemical Abundances of the Bioessential Elements C, O and S, and the Refractory Elements

Narrowband Radio Technosignature Search Toward 3I/ATLAS with FAST