![Mechanisms that contribute to dust growth just beyond the snow line. Many-seed icy aggregates grow in the outer disk’s regions due to the high sticking efficiency of water ice and disintegrate as they cross the water snow line (green-to-blue interface) into silicate monomers and water vapor. Both diffuse back across the snow line due to turbulence, facilitating further accumulation of icy water and the growth of icy aggregates just behind the snow line, effects found in our numerical model as well (see Figs. 7 and E.2).-- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Hydrodynamics.png?resize=1200%2C721&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.EP] Aims. We investigated the properties of the water snow line during the early stages of disk evolution, paying particular attention to the effects of gravitational instability and dust growth […]
Water
Posted inAstrochemistry
A Stellar Envelope Near The Black Hole Sgr A* Contains Water
[University of Cologne] Studies of the star IRS 3, located near the black hole at the centre of our galaxy, suggest that the star is emitting large quantities of gas […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Astrochemistry: Dust And Water Spotted Close To A Giant Black Hole
[ESA]. Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers have discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to the supermassive black hole […]
![This global map of Mars (greys) is overlaid with a map of ice “consistency,” C. Values of C near one (dark blue) indicate a high likelihood of ice in three independent mappings. Lower values of C (lighter blues) indicate lower confidence in ice being present, and indicate detection in at least one dataset. The extreme north and south are both rich in ice (dark blues), ice is absent near the equator, and the presence of ice is uncertain (light blues) in the mid-latitude regions best for astronauts. Credit: Morgan & Putzig et al., 2025; Sizemore et al., 2026 -- [PSI]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Laying-Odds.png?resize=1200%2C719&ssl=1)
Posted inMars
Laying Odds On The Potential For Martian Water
[PSI] We know Mars has water ice in its polar regions, but astronauts (and their solar powered equipment!) would much rather experience life closer to Mars’ equator. As NASA looks […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Distant Exoplanets May Be Hiding Water Beyond Webb Telescope’s Reach, Study Finds
[University of Chicago] The planets that appear most common in the universe could have a lot of water—but it could be hiding where telescopes can’t detect it, according to a […]
Posted inAstrochemistry
Implications Of Self-consistent H2O Ice Optical Constants On Radiative Transfer Models Of Disks
[astro-ph.EP] Interstellar water (H2O) ice exhibits significantly varied profiles over its spectral features with temperature and thermal history.
Posted inAtmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Ultraviolet Radiation Effects on the Optical Properties of Water-Dominated Exoplanet Hazes
Temperate sub-Neptune and terrestrial exoplanets could contain large inventories of water in various phases, such as water-dominated atmospheres or even oceans. Observations have shown that many exoplanets, including water worlds, […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Comets and Asteroids, Cryobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Impact events, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mercury, Status Report
Transport of Water In A Transient, Impact-Generated Atmosphere On Mercury
Mercury’s polar cold traps host water ice deposits that are likely populated with impact-delivered water via Mercury’s exosphere.
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report
Assessing the Earliest Evidence for Life in the Geologic and Genomic Records
Both the geologic and genomic records provide information on the earliest history of terrestrial life.
Posted inArtemis & Lunar Exploration, Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Impact events, Meteorites & Asteroids, Moon, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Moon Record Analysis Challenges Impact Origin Of Earth’s Water
A long-standing idea in planetary science is that water-rich meteorites arriving late in Earth’s history could have delivered a major share of Earth’s water. A new study argues that the […]