[astro-ph.EP] Recent JWST observations challenge the traditional ‘cosmic shoreline’ from both sides, revealing thick volatile atmospheres on the hottest close-in ‘lava worlds,’ where irradiation should drive the most extreme escape, […]
tidal heating
Posted inIcy Worlds
The Role of Disruptive Impacts on Ocean Generation and Longevity in Icy Moons
[Nature Astronomy] Among icy moons of the outer Solar System, subsurface water oceans and large collisions both seem to be common, but the impact of the latter on the presence […]
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Press Release
Conditions Suitable For Life On Distant Moons
Liquid water is considered essential for life. Surprisingly, however, stable conditions that are conducive to life could exist far from any sun. A research team from the Excellence Cluster ORIGINS […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Press Release, TRAPPIST-1
Estimation Of The Tidal Heating In The TRAPPIST-1 Planets. Influence Of The Internal Structure
With the arrival of JWST observations of the TRAPPIST-1 planets, it is timely to reassess the contribution of tidal heating to their heat budget. JWST thermal phase curves could reveal […]
Posted inEnceladus, Icy Worlds, Saturn, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Enceladus’s Limit Cycle
Enceladus exhibits some remarkable phenomena, including water geysers spraying through surface cracks, a global ice shell that is librating atop an ocean, a large luminosity, and rapid outward orbital migration.
Posted inAstrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Potential Interior Structures and Habitability of Super-Earth Exoplanets LHS 1140 b, K2-18 b, TOI-1452 b and TOI-1468 c
We analyze four super-Earth exoplanets, LHS 1140 b, K2-18 b, TOI-1452 b, and TOI-1468 c, which orbit M-dwarf stars in the habitable zone.
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Assessing the Detectability of Europa’s Seafloor Topography from Europa Clipper’s Gravity Data
Due to its size and tidal heating, Europa may potentially possess active volcanism and hydrothermal circulation at its seafloor.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Tidally Heated Sub-Neptunes, Refined Planetary Compositions, and Confirmation of a Third Planet in the TOI-1266 System
TOI-1266 is a benchmark system of two temperate (< 450 K) sub-Neptune-sized planets orbiting a nearby M dwarf exhibiting a rare inverted architecture with a larger interior planet.
Posted inIcy Worlds, Neptune, Status Report, Triton, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
The Trans- And Post-Capture Orbital Evolution Of Triton
Triton is a unique moon in our Solar System, being the only large moon to orbit on a retrograde and highly inclined orbit. As a result, it is thought that […]
Posted inAstrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Io, Missions & Hardware, Press Release
Volcano World Update: Lava Lakes On Io
Editor’s note: Is there life on Io? To be certain, Io is a radiation-drenched lava world, yes. But life on Earth manages to thrive in some rather absurdly extreme volcanic […]