Tag

Magma Ocean

All articles tagged with #magma ocean

space1 day ago•12 min saved

Sub-Neptunes Could Forge Oceans from Within

A Nature study shows that many planets called sub-Neptunes can synthesize their own water deep inside, by hydrogen in their thick atmospheres reacting with molten rock to produce H2O. If common, this could make water much more widespread in the galaxy and not just delivered by comets or asteroids. However, the water forms interiorly and may not always become a surface ocean, and these results are experimental/theoretical, requiring integration into formation models and observational tests to assess implications for habitability.

via Space Daily|

#exoplanets #magma-ocean #planetary-chemistry

space-and-spaceflight15 days ago•16 min saved

New Model Recasts Uranus and Neptune as Magma-Ocean Giants

A UC-led study proposes Uranus and Neptune may harbor well-mixed magma oceans with dissolved hydrogen beneath a hydrogen-dominated envelope, suggesting they’re magma-ocean giants rather than ice giants and potentially explaining their densities. The model, submitted to The Astrophysical Journal, challenges the traditional three-layer interior picture and could inform the study of sub-Neptune exoplanets, though the idea remains under debate without a dedicated mission to these distant planets.

via Gizmodo|

#ice-giants #interior-structure #magma-ocean

space15 days ago•3 min saved

New Study Hints Uranus and Neptune Hide Magma Oceans, Not Ice

A UCLA-led study using computer models proposes that Uranus and Neptune may have interior magma oceans rather than icy mantles, with a layered structure of a hydrogen/helium atmosphere, a boundary layer containing H/He/Mg/SiO/O, and a bottom magma ocean of silicate and iron. This challenges the long-standing “ice giants” label and has implications for understanding similar sub-Neptune exoplanets, while noting proposed future missions (Uranus Orbiter and Probe, Neptune Odyssey) and ongoing interest in these worlds.

via Universe Today|

#exoplanets #ice-giants #magma-ocean

space26 days ago•3 min saved

Moon-Sized Impact May Have Forged Venus’s Slow Retrograde Spin

A new presentation argues Venus’s slow retrograde rotation could result from a high-angle, moon-sized impact in its first 50 million years, triggering a magma ocean and melting most of the mantle; depending on the impact specifics, this could evolve into the current rotation while leaving open questions about interior water and Venus’s lack of plate tectonics.

via Universe Today|

#impact #interior #magma-ocean

astronomy2 months ago•4 min saved

Molten, sulfur-rich exoplanet forces rethink of planet types

Astronomers report the discovery of L 98-59 d, a distant exoplanet with a global magma ocean and a dense sulfur-rich atmosphere, whose extreme geology challenges current planetary classifications and suggests more diverse worlds await discovery as next-generation telescopes come online.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#astronomy #exoplanet #l-98-59-d

space3 months ago•8 min saved

Ancient lava world TOI-561 b cloaked in a surprising thick atmosphere

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope detected signs of a relatively thick atmosphere around TOI-561 b, an ultra-hot, short-period rocky planet likely with a magma ocean. The planet’s dayside is cooler than a bare rock would be, indicating heat is redistributed by a volatile-rich atmosphere—potentially with water vapor and silicate clouds—challenging expectations that such extreme worlds would lose their atmospheres. The atmosphere may also help explain TOI-561 b’s lower-than-expected density, suggesting a recycling system between the magma ocean and the atmosphere and classifying the world as a “wet lava world.”

via ScienceDaily|

#astronomy #atmospheres #exoplanets

space3 months ago•5 min saved

Molten-Ocean Exoplanet Defies Classification at 2,700°F

Scientists identify L 98–59 d as a 2,700°F lava world about 35 light-years away, likely with a magma ocean and sulfur-rich atmosphere, challenging simple planet classifications and offering clues about rocky planet formation—though it’s not life-hosting.

via New York Post|

#exoplanet #l-98-59-d #lava-planet

space3 months ago•5 min saved

Sulfur-Scented Exoplanet Redefines Planet Types

Scientists using JWST have identified L 98-59 d, a 1.6× Earth-radius exoplanet 35 light-years away with a global magma ocean that stores sulfur, producing a sulfur-rich atmosphere including hydrogen sulfide; its low density and molten interior challenge existing small-planet categories. Computer models trace its five-billion-year evolution from a volatile-rich world that cooled and shrank while preserving sulfur, implying more exotic planet types exist—though the planet is unlikely to host life.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#exoplanet #l-98-59-d #magma-ocean

space-exploration3 months ago•4 min saved

New exoplanet L 98-59 d unveils sulfurous magma oceans

Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope and ground facilities have identified L 98-59 d as a new exoplanet with a sulfur-rich atmosphere and a semi-molten magma-ocean interior, a world that is unusually low in density for its size and unlike previously known rocky or watery planets. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, suggests a broader diversity of planet types and raises questions about other exotic, pungent planets, though the conditions are unlikely to support Earth-like life.

via Financial Times|

#exoplanets #l-98-59-d #magma-ocean

astronomy3 months ago•54 min saved

JWST uncovers a sulfur-rich lava-ocean exoplanet, redefining planet types

Space-based and ground observations reveal L 98-59 d as a 1.6× Earth's size exoplanet with a global magma ocean and a sulfur-rich atmosphere likely dominated by hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, suggesting it formed from a larger sub-Neptune and cooled over billions of years. This lava-world represents a new class of planets and highlights the surprising diversity of worlds beyond our solar system.

via Space|

#astronomy #exoplanets #james-webb-space-telescope

astronomy3 months ago•2 min saved

Lava-World Exoplanet Points to a New Class of Planets

New JWST observations and simulations identify L98-59d as a 1.6 Earth-radius exoplanet with a global magma ocean, a molten core, surface temperatures near 1900°C, and a hydrogen-sulfide atmosphere shaped by strong tidal forces; this suggests molten planets may be more common than thought and that some planets in the habitable zone might not be habitable after all.

via The Guardian|

#astronomy #exoplanet #james-webb-telescope

science6 months ago•3 min saved

JWST Discovers Thick-Atmosphere Lava Planet Defying Expectations

New observations from the JWST reveal that the rocky exoplanet TOI-561 b, despite its extreme proximity to its star, retains a volatile-rich atmosphere and is likely covered by a global magma ocean, challenging previous assumptions about such 'dead rock' planets.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#atmosphere #exoplanet #jwst

science6 months ago•4 min saved

Webb Telescope Discovers Unexpected Atmosphere on Hot Lava Exoplanet

A new study reveals that the ancient exoplanet TOI-561 b, despite its extreme proximity to its star and high temperatures, has retained a thick atmosphere, challenging previous assumptions about hot, rocky planets and suggesting complex interactions between its surface and atmosphere. The planet's unique characteristics, including its low density and potential volcanic activity, are being studied using JWST data, providing new insights into planetary evolution in the early universe.

via ScienceAlert|

#atmosphere #exoplanet #jwst

science7 months ago•4 min saved

Hidden Earth Structures and Their Role in Our Planet's Origins

A new study suggests that the two massive structures beneath Earth's surface, known as LLSVPs, are remnants of the planet's early magma ocean, formed by chemical interactions with the core during Earth's formation, which could reshape our understanding of Earth's deep interior and its habitability.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#earths-interior #geochemistry #llsvps

science8 months ago•4 min saved

Webb Telescope Reveals Intense Volcanic Activity on Jupiter’s Moon Io

Scientists using NASA's Juno data have found that Jupiter's moon Io is emitting hundreds of times more heat than previously estimated, mainly from localized volcanic sources, challenging the idea of a global magma ocean beneath its surface. This new understanding results from analyzing different infrared spectral data, revealing that Io's volcanoes have hot outer rings and cooler centers, which significantly increases the estimated heat flux. The findings suggest that previous models based solely on certain infrared bands may have underestimated Io's thermal output, but do not definitively rule out the existence of a magma ocean. Future missions may provide more detailed insights into Io's intense volcanism.

via Space|

#heat-emission #io #juno-spacecraft