Tag

Atmosphere

All articles tagged with #atmosphere

science1 hour ago•5 min saved

Subduction's Hidden Role in Earth's Oxygen-Breathing Atmosphere

A new study ties Earth’s oxygen buildup to the subduction of carbon and sulfur: when subduction runs cooler, more C and S are carried into the mantle, later returning to the surface via volcanism and scavenging oxygen; warmer subduction releases more of these elements toward the surface, boosting atmospheric O2. The timing matches major oxygenation events (Great Oxygenation ~2.4–2.0 Ga and later boosts) and tracks with the cooling Earth and supercontinent cycles (Columbia, Gondwana, Pangaea). The findings suggest oxygen levels result from a complex interplay of biology, deep Earth chemistry, and plate tectonics.

via Ars Technica|

#atmosphere #earth-science #geology

science8 days ago•11 min saved

Every Breath Is a Biographical Archive of Humanity

A single inhale carries about 25 sextillion air molecules; because Earth's atmosphere mixes thoroughly on timescales of a few years, there’s a very high likelihood that every breath contains at least one molecule exhaled by Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and many others who lived long ago. This makes the air a living, centuries-spanning archive of humanity, though the reasoning doesn’t apply to dinosaurs due to longer timescales.

via Space Daily|

#atmosphere #breath #caesar

sports10 days ago•3 min saved

Cardinals Walk Off Royals as Shirtless Section Ignites Busch Stadium

Yohel Pozo's pinch-hit walk-off gave the Cardinals a win over the Royals, powered by a shirtless right-field section that transformed Busch Stadium into a high-energy venue. The crowd's vibe drew praise from Marmol and players, with the fan movement reportedly started by Texas players and already shaping what could be a standout atmosphere all summer.

via Redbird Rants|

#atmosphere #busch-stadium #cardinals

science11 days ago•5 min saved

Volcanic Plume Reveals a Natural Route to Methane Destruction in the Atmosphere

Scientists studying the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption found a high-altitude chemical reaction—driven by volcanic ash, seawater salt, and sunlight—that produced chlorine radicals capable of destroying methane in the stratosphere. Satellites tracked a lasting formaldehyde signal and estimated about 900 tons/day of methane removal, though far more methane entered the atmosphere than was destroyed. The work shows methane oxidation can be measured from orbit, with implications for methane budgets and potential future deliberate removal.

via Indian Defence Review|

#atmosphere #chlorine-radicals #methane

space11 days ago•9 min saved

Venus's 3,700-Mile Cloud Wall Reveals Planetary-Scale Hydraulic Jump

Scientists have identified a planetary-scale hydraulic jump—driven by a Kelvin wave—in Venus’s thick CO2-sulfuric acid atmosphere that forms a 3,700-mile-wide cloud wall racing around the planet every few days, faster than Venus’s rotation. This cross-scale coupling links large-scale winds to localized vertical motion, a mechanism missing from current global circulation models and potentially key to understanding Venus’s extreme super-rotation. The finding reshapes how researchers model Venus’s climate and points to updates ahead of upcoming missions such as DAVINCI, VERITAS, and EnVision.

via Space Daily|

#atmosphere #hydraulic-jump #kelvin-wave

science13 days ago•5 min saved

Volcanic Plume Reveals Chlorine-Driven Methane Cleanup in the Atmosphere

Researchers analyzing the 2022 Hunga Tonga eruption found unusually high formaldehyde in the plume, indicating methane was being rapidly destroyed by chlorine radicals formed in sunlight-activated reactions. The study demonstrates a natural methane-removal pathway in volcanic plumes and quantifies about 900 metric tons per day of methane destroyed—far less than the eruption’s total methane output—while suggesting chlorine-mediated methane destruction could inform future atmospheric cleanup research, though practical application remains uncertain.

via ScienceAlert|

#atmosphere #chlorine #formaldehyde

science13 days ago•2 min saved

Small Kuiper Belt Object Carries Its Own Atmosphere, Astronomers Say

Astronomers using stellar occultation detected a thin atmosphere around the 500 km-wide Kuiper Belt object 2002 XV93, a surprising find for such a small body that normally cannot retain gases. The atmosphere’s origin is uncertain—possible ice‑volcano outgassing or a recent impact—and could dissipate within about a thousand years. The study, published in Nature Astronomy on May 6, 2026, broadens ideas about where atmospheres can exist in the outer solar system.

via DOGO News|

#2002-xv93 #astronomy #atmosphere

climate-change13 days ago•58 min saved

Atmospheric microplastics may be warming the planet more than they cool

A Nature Climate Change study finds microplastics and nanoplastics in the air absorb sunlight and radiation, producing a net warming effect that outweighs their cooling. The warming is estimated to be a few percent of CO2’s warming—roughly five times the cooling impact from scattering—though the overall contribution is small compared with fossil fuels and depends on uncertain atmospheric levels of plastic.

via Live Science|

#atmosphere #climate-change #global-warming

space-and-spaceflight15 days ago•17 min saved

Venus Cloud Waves Solved by a Planet-Scale Hydraulic Jump

A study of Venus, using Akatsuki data, shows that gigantic hydraulic jumps push sulfuric acid vapor upward into the lower-to-middle cloud layers, creating planet-spanning cloud fronts that can reach about 6,000 km and likely help sustain Venus’s extreme superrotation, resolving decades of mystery and offering clues for future missions and potentially similar processes on Mars.

via Gizmodo|

#atmosphere #hydraulic-jump #planetary-science

science15 days ago•5 min saved

Venus Acid Rain Vanishes Midair, Never Reaching the Ground

Venus has clouds of sulfuric acid and experiences daily rain, but the planet’s extreme heat and high pressure in the lower atmosphere vaporize any falling droplets before they hit the surface, so the ground remains dry even as acid rain forms and evaporates aloft.

via Indian Defence Review|

#atmosphere #precipitation #science

science19 days ago•3 min saved

Tiny Kuiper World Reveals Thin Atmosphere, Second of Its Kind

Astronomers observed the small Kuiper Belt object 2002 XV93 (about 311 miles across) during a stellar occultation and found a very thin atmosphere, making it only the second TNO known to have one after Pluto. The atmosphere, five to ten million times thinner than Earth's, could result from cryovolcanic activity or a recent icy impact; its persistence or dissipation could help distinguish between these sources. Future James Webb Space Telescope observations may detect additional gases like methane or carbon monoxide.

via Futurism|

#atmosphere #cryovolcanism #kuiper-belt

spaceastronomy20 days ago•87 min saved

Tiny Kuiper Belt World May Harbor a Real Atmosphere

Astronomers report evidence of a surprisingly thin atmosphere around the Kuiper Belt object (612533) 2002 XV93, a small icy body about 500 km across. If confirmed, the atmosphere would be extremely tenuous—roughly 5–10 million times thinner than Earth's—and may last under 1,000 years unless replenished. Independent verification is urged, with future JWST observations expected to help determine whether the atmosphere persists (suggesting a long‑term gas source) or fades (potentially from a recent impact).

via Live Science|

#astronomy #atmosphere #jwst

space21 days ago•74 min saved

Tiny Kuiper Belt World Grows a Mysterious, Vanishingly Thin Atmosphere

A diminutive trans-Neptunian object known as (612533) 2002 XV93 (a ~500 km Pluto-like body in Neptune’s 2:3 resonance) has unexpectedly developed a thin atmosphere (exosphere). Its presence was inferred from a January 2024 stellar occultation observed by a Japan-led team; the exosphere is extremely tenuous, with surface pressures of 100–200 nanobars—5 to 10 million times thinner than Earth’s. The atmosphere could originate from a recent impact or from cryovolcanic outgassing, but either way it challenges the idea that only large bodies can sustain atmospheres. If it’s impact-driven, the gas would escape within ~1,000 years; if outgassing, the source is ongoing beneath the surface. JWST observations and density monitoring in coming years should help pinpoint the cause. The discovery was published May 4 in Nature Astronomy.

via Space|

#atmosphere #cryovolcanism #kuiper-belt

space21 days ago•5 min saved

Tiny Kuiper Object Wears a Breath: Atmosphere Detected on a 500-km Plutino

Astronomers detected a surprisingly thin atmosphere around 2002 XV93, a ~500-km plutino in the Kuiper belt, via a 2024 stellar occultation observed from Japan. The inferred atmosphere is about 100–200 nanobars—extremely tenuous and likely transient—suggesting replenishment from a recent impact or ongoing cryovolcanism. This challenges the notion that atmospheres only form on large bodies and shows that small distant objects can host detectable atmospheres, with the research published in Nature Astronomy.

via ScienceAlert|

#2002-xv93 #atmosphere #occultation

science21 days ago•182 min saved

Tiny Kuiper Belt World Reveals a Surprising Atmosphere

Astronomers using a rare January 2024 stellar occultation in Japan detected a thin atmosphere around the small trans-Neptunian object (612533) 2002 XV93, a body about 500 km across in the Kuiper Belt. The atmosphere is estimated to be 5–10 million times thinner than Earth's. It could be produced by cryovolcanism or a past impact; if replenished regularly, it might persist longer, otherwise it could dissipate in a few hundred years. Future observations, including with the James Webb Space Telescope, aim to determine its composition and evolution, potentially overturning assumptions that tiny, distant objects can’t have atmospheres and highlighting Kuiper Belt activity.

via CNN|

#astronomy #atmosphere #kuiper-belt