Four-and-a-half billion years ago, a massive world, possibly as big as the moon or even Mars, orbited our sun before crashing into another celestial body and shattering into rubble.
olivine
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report
In Situ Carbonation of Sedimentary and Igneous Rocks of Ultramafic Composition in Jezero Crater, Mars
Over 3.5 years of exploration in Jezero Crater, the Perseverance rover has explored several geological units of diverse origins and natures, performing multi-technique remote analyses of the chemistry and mineralogy […]
![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 inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Desert Worlds, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Ice Giant, Icy Worlds, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
ORCHARD: A General Planetary Evolution Code
We present ORCHARD, a publicly available planetary evolution code based on the gas giant evolution code, APPLE, capable of modeling the evolution and structures of terrestrial, super-Earth, sub-Neptune, Neptune, and […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Meteorites & Asteroids, Missions & Hardware, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Sample Return, Status Report
Tianwen-2 Target Asteroid (469219) Kamo’oalewa Probably Develops An Itokawa-compositional But Ultra-highly Space-weathered Surface
China’s Tianwen-2 mission plans to return samples from a small, rapidly spinning Earth quasi-satellite (469219) Kamo’oalewa. Previous studies linked Kamo’oalewa to lunar composition and origin.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Meteorites & Asteroids, Radiation, Status Report
Space Ionizing Radiation Triggers The Formation Of Peptides And Organophosphates On Olivine Surfaces
Bioorganic molecules, such as amino acids, nucleobases, and sugars, are widely distributed in space.
Posted inAstrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Desert Worlds, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Perseverance Can Continue To Operate On Mars Until At Least 2031
The rover has been acing a long-term series of durability tests, making the most of its enhanced navigation capabilities, and ferreting out new findings about Mars’ geologic past.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Habitable Zones, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs
Perseverance Rover Uncovers Clues To Ancient Martian Chemistry
NASA’s Perseverance Rover spent three years exploring the floor of Jezero Crater, located just north of the Martian equator.
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Perseverance Mars Rover Explores Krokodillen Region Of Jezero Crater
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is exploring a new region of interest the team is calling “Krokodillen” that may contain some of the oldest rocks on Mars. The area has been […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Mars, Press Release
New Study Unveils Volcanic History And Clues To Ancient Life On Mars
In a groundbreaking study co-authored by a Texas A&M University scientist, researchers have revealed new insights into the geological history of Mars’ Jezero Crater, the landing site of NASA’s Perseverance […]