Ocean world Archives

Left: seasonal variation of the temperature, which is defined by the difference between the Northern Hemisphere (NH) averaged surface temperature and the global annual mean surface temperature. Middle: the maximum streamfunction in NH. Right: The latitude of the maximum zonal mean precipitation (ITCZ). The filled shaded contours represent the results from no-cloud simulations and the values are shown in the colourbars, while the open contours represent the results from cloud simulations and the values are shown in inline labels. For comparison, the contours are plotted at the same levels for no-clouds and clouds simulations. To highlight the difference in seasonal transition, the zero contour lines are bold black (clouds) and gray (no-clouds) for the left and right panels. The contours of streamfunction and ITCZ latitude are smoothed by a Gaussian filter with a standard deviation of σ = 3 days. The horizontal lines represent day of vernal equinox (day 90), northern summer solstice (day 180), and autumnal equinox (day 270), and day 0 is northern winter solstice. The vertical lines represent rotation rates of Ω∗ = 1/8 and 1. -- physics.ao-ph

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Clouds And Seasonality On Terrestrial Planets With Varying Rotation Rates

by Keith CowingFebruary 12, 2024February 11, 2024

Using an idealised climate model incorporating seasonal forcing, we investigate the impact of rotation rate on the abundance of clouds on an Earth-like aquaplanet, and the resulting impacts upon albedo […]

During the MSM126 cruise, it is highly probable that new species will be discovered in the deep sea. In 2018, the "rabbit ear" comb jellyfish, Kiyohimea usagi, was discovered in the Atlantic for the first time. It was previously believed that these animals only existed in the Pacific. Photo: Henk-Jan Hoving, GEOMAR

Away Teams & Field Reports, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Ocean Planet Expedition: R/V Maria S. Merian Explores With A Deep-Sea Robot

by Keith CowingFebruary 12, 2024February 11, 2024

Editor’s note: when we begin to robotically explore the ice-covered oceans of Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede, Mimas etc. we’ll need to make the most of the visits. Learning how to best […]

Mimas - NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mimas, Press Release, Saturn, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Mimas Has A Young Ocean Beneath Its Icy Shell

by Keith CowingFebruary 7, 2024February 8, 2024

Hidden beneath the heavily cratered surface of Mimas, one of Saturn’s smallest moons, lies a secret: a global ocean of liquid water.

Ocean worlds beyond Earth have been a key research focus for NASA's Planetary Science Division ever since the confirmation of ice-covered liquid water oceans on Jupiter's moons Europa and Ganymede and, subsequently, Saturn's moons Enceladus and Titan. The new Network for Ocean Worlds (NOW), is the latest of four research coordination networks (RCNs) to be established by NASA that will enable research covering different aspects of the search for life beyond Earth.-- NASA

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Reports, Roadmaps, & Plans, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Science Autonomy For Ocean Worlds Astrobiology: A Perspective

by Keith CowingFebruary 5, 2024February 5, 2024

Astrobiology missions to ocean worlds in our solar system must overcome both scientific and technological challenges due to extreme temperature and radiation conditions, long communication times, and limited bandwidth.

Underwater canyon mapped off Adams Glacier. Photo: AAD

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Cryobiology, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Ice World Exploration: A Massive Underwater Antarctic Canyon Has Been Discovered On Earth

by Keith CowingJanuary 16, 2024January 16, 2024

Editor’s note: it goes without saying that the exploration of the oceans of Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede and other worlds will guide the development of these future missions. As you read […]

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A New Way To Identify Liquid Water On Exoplanets

by Keith CowingJanuary 3, 2024January 3, 2024

Scientists have devised a new way to identify habitable planets and potentially inhabited planets, by comparing the amount of carbon dioxide in their atmosphere, to neighbouring planets.

Cassini flies through the plumes of Enceladus -- NASA

Astrochemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Saturn, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A New Way To Characterize Habitable Planets

by Keith CowingDecember 29, 2023December 29, 2023

For decades, science fiction authors have imagined scenarios in which life thrives on the harsh surfaces of Mars or our Moon, or in the oceans below the icy surfaces of […]

FOCUS survey area with newly mapped seafloor features. -- CSIRO

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Practicing For Ocean And Ice World Exploration: Mapping Earth’s Strongest Sea Current

by Keith CowingDecember 18, 2023December 18, 2023

Editor’s note: We have mission en route or soon to be launched to visit ice -covered ocean worlds in the Jovian system. Some day we’ll visit Enceladus and other ice-covered […]

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Can Signs Of Life Be Detected On Enceladus?

by Keith CowingDecember 6, 2023December 6, 2023

As astrophysics technology and research continue to advance, one question persists: is there life elsewhere in the universe? The Milky Way galaxy alone has hundreds of billions of celestial bodies, […]

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Monitoring Ice World Surfaces From Orbit: Antarctic Iceberg Sails Away

by Keith CowingDecember 4, 2023December 3, 2023

Editor’s note: Prime targets for Astrobiology missions in the coming decades include ice-covered ocean worlds in the outer solar system such as Europa, Enceladus, Ganymede, Callisto, Mimas, Titan and others. […]