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Categories: Space: The Solar System
Published Mounds of ice in craters give new insight into Mars’ past climate


Newly discovered deposits of layered ice in craters scattered around Mars' southern hemisphere provide insights into how the planet's orientation controlled the planet's climate over the past 4 million years, according to a new study. The findings help scientists understand what controlled Mars' past climate, which is essential for predicting when the planet could have been habitable.
Published On Jupiter's moon Europa, 'chaos terrains' could be shuttling oxygen to ocean


Researchers have built the world's first physics-based computer simulation of oxygen transport on Europa, finding that it's possible for oxygen to drain through the moon's icy shell and into its ocean of liquid water -- where it could potentially help sustain alien life -- by hitching a ride on salt water under the moon's 'chaos terrains.' The results show that not only is the transport possible, but that the amount of oxygen brought into Europa's ocean could be on a par with the quantity of oxygen in Earth's oceans today.
Published Scientists solve solar secret


The further we move away from a heat source, the cooler the air gets. Bizarrely, the same can't be said for the surface of the Sun, but scientists may have just explained a key part of why.
Published Nearby star could help explain why our Sun didn’t have sunspots for 70 years


Astronomers identified a nearby star whose sunspot cycles appear to have stopped. Studying this star might help explain the unusual period from the mid 1600s to the early 1700s when our Sun paused its sunspot cycles.
Published Look! Up in the sky! Is it a planet? Nope, just a star



Among thousands of known exoplanets, astronomers have flagged three that are actually stars.
Published Magnetic reconnection breakthrough may help predict space weather


Researchers have recently discovered a breakthrough in magnetic reconnection that could ultimately help predict space weather.
Published A solar illusion: Coronal loops may not be what they seem


Many coronal loops -- ropey strands of plasma that scientists have long thought existed in the sun's atmosphere -- may actually be optical illusions, according to a new paper that challenges prevailing assumptions of what we know, and don't know, about the sun.
Published Deep neural network to find hidden turbulent motion on the sun


Scientists developed a neural network deep learning technique to extract hidden turbulent motion information from observations of the Sun. Tests on three different sets of simulation data showed that it is possible to infer the horizontal motion from data for the temperature and vertical motion. This technique will benefit solar astronomy and other fields such as plasma physics, fusion science, and fluid dynamics.
Published Predicting the efficiency of oxygen-evolving electrolysis on the Moon and Mars


Scientists have today provided more insight into the possibility of establishing a pathway to generate oxygen for humans to potentially call the Moon or Mars 'home' for extended periods of time.
Published How Mars lost its oceans


It has long been known that Mars once had oceans due in part to a protective magnetic field similar to Earth's. However, the magnetic field disappeared, and new research may finally be able to explain why. Researchers recreated conditions expected in the core of Mars billions of years ago and found that the behavior of the molten metal thought to be present likely gave rise to a brief magnetic field that was destined to fade away.
Published Saturn’s high-altitude winds generate an extraordinary aurorae, study finds


Space scientists have discovered a never-before-seen mechanism fueling huge planetary aurorae at Saturn.
Published Puffy planets lose atmospheres, become super-Earths


Astronomers have identified two different cases of 'mini-Neptune' planets that are losing their puffy atmospheres and likely transforming into super-Earths.
Published Juno and Hubble data reveal electromagnetic 'tug-of-war' lights up Jupiter’s upper atmosphere


New space research has revealed a complex 'tug-of-war' lights up aurorae in Jupiter's upper atmosphere. The study describes the delicate current cycle driven by Jupiter’s rapid rotation and the release of sulphur and oxygen from volcanoes on its moon, Io.
Published Shocked zircon find a 'one-off gift' from Mars


Researchers studying a Martian meteorite have found the first evidence of high-intensity damage caused by asteroid impact, in findings that have implications for understanding when conditions suitable for life may have existed on early Mars.
Published Extreme exoplanet has a complex and exotic atmosphere


An international team analyzed the atmosphere of one of the most extreme known planets in great detail. The results from this hot, Jupiter-like planet that was first characterized with the help of the CHEOPS space telescope, may help astronomers understand the complexities of many other exoplanets -- including Earth-like planets.
Published Scientists explain mysterious finger-like features in solar flares


Astronomers have presented a new explanation for the mysterious downward-moving dark voids seen in some solar flares.
Published Ancient ice reveals mysterious solar storm


Through analysis of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica, a research team has found evidence of an extreme solar storm that occurred about 9,200 years ago. What puzzles the researchers is that the storm took place during one of the sun's more quiet phases -- during which it is generally believed our planet is less exposed to such events.
Published Liquid water beneath Martian south polar cap?


Scientists measured the properties of ice-brine mixtures as cold as -145 degrees Fahrenheit to help confirm that salty water likely exists between grains of ice or sediment under the ice cap at Mars' south pole. Laboratory measurements support oddly bright reflections detected by the MARSIS subsurface sounding radar aboard ESA's Mars Express orbiter.
Published New control technique uses solar panels to reach desired Mars orbit


Aerospace engineers have developed a way to use articulated solar panels to steer the satellite during aerobraking, reducing the number of passes needed, resulting in potential savings in propellant, time, and money.
Published Hope for present-day Martian groundwater dries up in new study


Liquid water previously detected under Mars' ice-covered south pole is probably just a dusty mirage, according to a new study of the Red Planet. The finding challenges a 2018 study that appeared to find liquid water under Mars' south polar cap.