Tag

Atmosphere Loss

All articles tagged with #atmosphere loss

space-and-astronomy8 days ago•48 min saved

Dense mega-Earth GJ 523b challenges planetary norms with thin atmosphere

Astronomers have identified GJ 523b, a dense 'mega-Earth' about 2.5 times Earth in size and around 23 times as massive, with a surprisingly thin atmosphere. Discovered by NASA’s TESS and examined with the WIYN telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, the planet’s high density and lack of a thick gaseous envelope defy simple formation models, leading researchers to speculate that extreme heat or a past planetary collision stripped away much of its atmosphere and to push for a clearer definition of the Mega-Earth category.

via Yahoo|

#atmosphere-loss #exoplanets #gj-523b

space2 months ago•11 min saved

Mars’ ancient warmth and the mystery of its missing air

Rocks show that early Mars hosted liquid water, but whether it was warm remains debated. The planetary dynamo likely died between about 4.2 and 3.7 billion years ago, removing the magnetic shield and enabling solar wind to strip gas—an escape process MAVEN measured, especially during solar storms. Some carbon dioxide may have been stored in minerals like siderite, so not all missing air left to space. The balance between atmospheric loss and crustal storage is still uncertain, and better palaeomagnetic dating and additional sampling are needed to pin down Mars’ climate history. The cold desert is settled, but the path to understanding how it happened is ongoing.

via Space Daily|

#atmosphere-loss #carbon-cycle #magnetic-field

science1 year ago•4 min saved

NASA's Chandra Detects Shrinking Baby Exoplanet and Stellar Atmosphere Loss

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has observed a young exoplanet, TOI 1227 b, which is rapidly losing its atmosphere due to intense X-ray radiation from its host star, leading to its shrinking from Jupiter size to a barren world over about a billion years.

via NASA (.gov)|

#atmosphere-loss #chandra-x-ray-observatory #exoplanet

science1 year ago•3 min saved

Astronomers Spot Planet with Comet-Like Tail

The exoplanet WASP-69 b, a hot Jupiter, is losing its atmosphere, creating a 'tail' of gas shaped by the stellar wind from its host star. This tail, similar to a comet's, is formed as light gases like hydrogen and helium escape due to photoevaporation. The tail's length, observed to be over 350,000 miles, can change with variations in the stellar wind. This phenomenon offers insights into the interactions between stellar and planetary atmospheres and could help understand stellar behavior.

via Science@NASA|

#astronomy #atmosphere-loss #exoplanet

space3 years ago•5 min saved

"Star's Impact on Exoplanet Creates Spectacular Tail 950 Light Years Away"

Astronomers have discovered a massive gas tail trailing from the exoplanet HAT-P-32 b, located 950 light years away from Earth. The planet, classified as a "hot Jupiter," is losing its atmosphere due to its close proximity to its parent star. The gas tail, about 18 times the size of Jupiter, is one of the largest planetary structures observed outside our solar system. By studying this phenomenon, researchers hope to gain insights into planetary evolution and solve the mystery of the "hot-Neptunian desert" in the exoplanet catalog. Supercomputer simulations have revealed that HAT-P-32 b is being both trailed and led by its outflowing gas, and it is estimated to take 40 billion years for the planet to completely lose its atmosphere. However, the planet is unlikely to survive the lifespan of its host star, which is expected to engulf it in the future.

via Space.com|

#atmosphere-loss #exoplanet #hot-jupiter