Hawkdive的动态

?? A cryo-volcano in the outer solar system??? An international team of researchers, including #MPE scientist Thomas Müller, has used the #JamesWebbSpaceTelescope's #JWST MIRI instrument to detect a striking mid-infrared (18–25 μm) excess associated with the dwarf planet Makemake. This discovery hints at unprecedented phenomena in the trans-Neptunian region: ?? Possible ongoing activity fueled by subsurface upwelling or #cryovolcanism. ?? A previously undetected ring of very fine carbonaceous dust. Both scenarios challenge our understanding of these distant worlds and open the door to fascinating new questions about the outer solar system. https://lnkd.in/eBUDj_vJ Image: Here's how distant, icy Makemake and its small, dark moon might appear. Credits: NASA / ESA / Alex Parker

??Scientific paper: Automated Discovery of Anomalous Features in Ultra-Large Planetary Remote Sensing Datasets using Variational Autoencoders Abstract: The NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has returned petabytes of lunar high spatial resolution surface imagery over the past decade, impractical for humans to fully review manually. Here we develop an automated method using a deep generative visual model that rapidly retrieves scientifically interesting examples of LRO surface imagery representing the first planetary image anomaly detector. We give quantitative experimental evidence that our method preferentially retrieves anomalous samples such as notable geological features and known human landing and spacecraft crash sites. Our method addresses a major capability gap in planetary science and presents a novel way to unlock insights hidden in ever-increasing remote sensing data archives, with numerous applications to other science domains. We publish our code and data along with this paper. ;Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures - JSTARS, accepted Continued on ES/IODE ?? https://etcse.fr/BPsK6 ------- If you find this interesting, feel free to follow, comment and share. We need your help to enhance our visibility, so that our platform continues to serve you.

BREAKING: This is the first clear evidence of liquid water, not just frozen ice, discovered on Mars. A groundbreaking discovery published in Science has confirmed that Mars once had liquid water, offering new insights into the planet’s climate and potential for supporting life. Researchers analyzing data from NASA’s Curiosity rover identified ancient "wave ripples" in rocks at the Gale Crater region, dating back 3.7 billion years. These ripples, formed by wind and water, indicate the presence of a shallow, open-air lake about 2 meters (6.5 feet) deep. The discovery highlights a time when Mars had a warmer climate and a thicker atmosphere capable of sustaining liquid water — a critical ingredient for life as we know it. This revelation has far-reaching implications for understanding Mars' habitability and planning future missions. The presence of liquid water raises the possibility that microbial life once thrived on the planet. Additionally, remnants of ancient water or ice could provide vital resources for astronauts during future human exploration. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dnTw--f2 IMAGE: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA's Curiosity rover, currently exploring Gale crater on Mars, is providing new details about how the ancient Martian climate went from potentially suitable for life—with evidence for widespread liquid water on the surface—to a surface that is inhospitable to terrestrial life as we know it. Although the surface of Mars is frigid and hostile to life today, NASA's robotic explorers at Mars are searching for clues as to whether it could have supported life in the distant past. Researchers used instruments on board Curiosity to measure the isotopic composition of carbon-rich minerals (carbonates) found in Gale crater and discovered new insights into how the Red Planet's ancient climate transformed. "The isotope values of these carbonates point toward extreme amounts of evaporation, suggesting that these carbonates likely formed in a climate that could only support transient liquid water," said David Burtt of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and lead author of a paper describing this research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.... see more

https://buff.ly/4enBpyK Mars has bright polar ice caps, which you can see even in small telescopes. You can watch them grow and shrink with the seasons. Unlike on Earth, they consist mostly of frozen carbon dioxide. On September 1, 2024, a team of scientists led by the Planetary Science Institute discussed their new research about the planet’s polar caps. The results help explain why the polar caps have similarities and differences. The new study combines past observations with newer ones from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO). The spacecraft used its High-Resolution Imaging Experiment, or HiRISE, camera, to image the polar regions in incredible detail. The researchers published their peer-reviewed findings in the journal Icarus on September 1, 2024.

With its latest space mission successfully launched, NASA is set to return for a close-up investigation of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Yesterday at 12:06 p.m. EDT, the Europa Clipper lifted off via SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on a mission that will take a close look at Europa’s icy surface. Five years from now, the spacecraft will visit the moon, which hosts a water ocean covered by a water-ice shell. The spacecraft’s mission is to learn more about the composition and geology of the moon’s surface and interior and to assess its astrobiological potential. Because of Jupiter’s intense radiation environment, Europa Clipper will conduct a series of flybys, with its closest approach bringing it wit ...

20 Years Since Huygens' Historic Titan Landing ??? On January 14, 2005, the European Space Agency - ESA's Huygens probe achieved a monumental milestone in #spaceexploration by successfully landing on #Titan, Saturn's largest moon. This event marked humanity's first landing on a celestial body in the outer solar system. After hitching a ride to Saturn aboard NASA's #Cassini orbiter, Huygens embarked on a descent lasting nearly two and a half hours. During this time, it conducted comprehensive studies of Titan's dense, hazy atmosphere, measuring wind speeds, temperatures, and atmospheric composition. Upon reaching the surface, #Huygens transmitted images revealing a landscape with river-like channels and a solid surface covered with icy pebbles, offering unprecedented insights into this enigmatic #moon. The success of the Huygens mission was a testament to international #collaboration, with contributions from #ESA, NASA, and numerous #scientists and #engineers worldwide. The data collected have significantly advanced our understanding of Titan, shedding light on its complex atmospheric processes and surface characteristics. As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of Huygens' landing, it is time to celebrate a landmark achievement in planetary #exploration that continues to inspire and inform current and #future missions to the outer reaches of our solar system. #CassiniMission #NASA https://lnkd.in/eYDAP-QP

New Post: NASA to Measure Moonquakes With Help From InSight Mars Mission - https://lnkd.in/ehtFJqfG Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure instrument (SEIS) aboard NASA’s Mars InSight is within the copper-colored hexagonal enclosure in this photo taken by a camera on the lander’s robotic arm on Dec. 4, 2018. The SEIS technology is being used on Farside Seismic Suite, bound for the Moon. NASA/JPL-Caltech Up to 30 times more sensitive than its Apollo predecessors, the suite will record the Moon’s seismic “background” vibration, which is driven by micrometeorites the size of small pebbles that pelt the surface. This will help NASA better understand the current impact environment as the agency prepares to send?Artemis?astronauts to explore […]

NASA shared for the first time the?results of the analysis of the samples collected by the OSIRIS-REx mission on the Bennu asteroid. The presence of molecules, key to life on Earth, marks an important moment in the study of the history of our universe. It’s important to note that these findings?do not confirm the presence of life, but they strongly suggest the existence of conditions necessary for life to emerge in other places and times in the universe. Today’s news has also outlined the high success of the OSIRIS-REx mission, launched in 2016 toward the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ddwV8CBn #NASA #OSIRISREx #Bennu #asteroids #discovery #astronomy #sample

New Post: NASA to Measure Moonquakes With Help From InSight Mars Mission - https://lnkd.in/ehtFJqfG Seismic Experiment for Interior Structure instrument (SEIS) aboard NASA’s Mars InSight is within the copper-colored hexagonal enclosure in this photo taken by a camera on the lander’s robotic arm on Dec. 4, 2018. The SEIS technology is being used on Farside Seismic Suite, bound for the Moon. NASA/JPL-Caltech Up to 30 times more sensitive than its Apollo predecessors, the suite will record the Moon’s seismic “background” vibration, which is driven by micrometeorites the size of small pebbles that pelt the surface. This will help NASA better understand the current impact environment as the agency prepares to send?Artemis?astronauts to explore […]