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Nitrogen

All articles tagged with #nitrogen

Pluto’s thinning sky hints at nitrogen frost as it drifts from the Sun
space3 days ago

Pluto’s thinning sky hints at nitrogen frost as it drifts from the Sun

A 2026 study of ten occultations (2017–2023) finds Pluto’s atmospheric pressure likely dropped about 16% since 2021, with nitrogen possibly freezing onto the surface as the dwarf planet moves away from the Sun. Model differences mean the future of Pluto’s atmosphere is not settled—some scenarios suggest further loss, others suggest a persistent, seasonally cycling atmosphere—making ongoing occultations crucial to map its long-term nitrogen cycle.

via Space Daily|
#atmosphere#climate#nitrogen
Pluto’s atmosphere begins to freeze out as it drifts farther from the Sun
space-and-astronomy24 days ago

Pluto’s atmosphere begins to freeze out as it drifts farther from the Sun

Astronomers report Pluto’s nitrogen-rich atmosphere is starting to freeze out as it moves away from the Sun, with atmospheric pressure dropping about 16% between mid-2021 and 2023. Pluto’s surface runs at roughly -382°F while the upper atmosphere sits around -333°F, conditions that favor frost formation as the air cools. Observations of ten stellar occultations from 2017–2023 show haze in the lower atmosphere settling toward lower latitudes as pressure falls. The findings, led by Amanda Sickafoose, suggest the atmosphere will not be fully frozen by aphelion (2114) but should rebuild somewhat as Pluto travels back toward the Sun. The study was published July 31 in the Planetary Science Journal.

via Yahoo|
#atmosphere#frost#nitrogen
Sovereignty Storms from Last to Capture Whitney in Dominant Fashion
sports27 days ago

Sovereignty Storms from Last to Capture Whitney in Dominant Fashion

At Saratoga, Sovereignty, the 2025 Horse of the Year, surged from well back under Junior Alvarado to win the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes by 4 3/4 lengths, giving the champion older male a major win and a Breeders’ Cup Classic berth. Nitrogen stumbled at the start but held on for second, Antiquarian was third, and Magnitude faded after setting a fast early pace; Baeza also broke poorly. The victory came in a race that featured a strong field and capped Sovereignty’s dominant form after a winless spell earlier in the season.

via Daily Racing Form|
#bill-mott#horse-racing#nitrogen
Oak Forests Could Store More Carbon as CO2 Rises, Through a Soil-Microbe Nitrogen Link
science1 month ago

Oak Forests Could Store More Carbon as CO2 Rises, Through a Soil-Microbe Nitrogen Link

Six-year CO2 enrichment around 180-year-old English oaks shows trees grew more wood by tapping additional soil nitrogen through a root-microbe partnership: elevated CO2 raised usable soil nitrogen by about 29%, trees absorbed extra nitrogen, and soil released almost what the trees used, indicating a faster but tighter nitrogen cycle and lower nitrous oxide emissions; while this hints at greater carbon storage in forests, nitrogen reserves are finite and the overall soil carbon balance remains uncertain, with results published in Science Advances.

via Earth.com|
#carbon-storage#co2#forests
Titan’s radar magic islands may be fizzing nitrogen bubbles in methane seas
space1 month ago

Titan’s radar magic islands may be fizzing nitrogen bubbles in methane seas

Cassini radar spotted transient bright patches in Titan’s northern seas, nicknamed magic islands, but their nature remains uncertain. Laboratory experiments show nitrogen can dissolve in cold methane-ethane liquids and exsolve as gas bubbles when conditions shift (warming, pressure drop, or mixing), potentially creating radar-bright plumes that mimic islands. Other explanations like waves or floating solids remain plausible; resolving the events may require future missions or direct measurements of Titan’s seas.

via Space Daily|
#cassini#exsolution#methane-ethane
Inner Solar System Shaped Earth’s Life Essentials, Study Finds
science3 months ago

Inner Solar System Shaped Earth’s Life Essentials, Study Finds

A NASA‑backed study using lab experiments and geochemical models argues Earth’s supply of life‑supporting phosphorus and nitrogen came mainly from inner solar system planetesimals (iron meteorites and related material), not outer‑solar‑system chondrites. Jupiter’s growth likely restricted the movement of these elements, helping inner bodies retain a higher phosphorus-to-nitrogen ratio and seed Earth with the needed ingredients for habitability. The findings suggest Earth acquired its P and N from the inner solar system, though it remains open whether a Jupiter‑like planet is essential for such elemental budgets.

via NASA Science (.gov)|
#chondrites#inner-solar-system#iron-meteorites
Fertilizer Shock as Hormuz Disruption Tightens Global Trade
business5 months ago

Fertilizer Shock as Hormuz Disruption Tightens Global Trade

Strait of Hormuz disruptions tied to the Iran conflict have pushed fertilizer prices higher, especially nitrogen-based urea (Egypt FOB around $700/ton vs $400–$490 earlier). About 30% of global urea trade may be affected, threatening crop yields and raising food-security concerns, with impacts expected to hit emerging markets hardest even as buffer stocks and export controls add complexity.

via CNBC|
#business#fertilizer#food-security
Fertilizer shock hits American farmers as Iran war tightens supply
business5 months ago

Fertilizer shock hits American farmers as Iran war tightens supply

The war in Iran is tightening global fertilizer supply and lifting nitrogen and energy costs for US farmers ahead of spring planting. Imported urea prices have risen about a third since the conflict began, and producers report scarce nitrogen quotes even as most North American fertilizer costs climb due to higher natural gas prices. The gap comes on top of tariffs, diesel and equipment costs, and a farm economy already described as in recession with rising debt. While roughly $7 billion in federal aid has helped weather the disruption, farmers say it won’t fix ongoing losses, and higher input costs could ripple into pricier groceries in the coming months and years.

via CNN|
#agriculture#business#fertilizer
MidEast Conflict Threatens U.S. Fertilizer Supply and Farm Costs
world6 months ago

MidEast Conflict Threatens U.S. Fertilizer Supply and Farm Costs

Geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East is choking global fertilizer supplies—especially nitrogen inputs like ammonia and urea—as exporters cut production and shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz face disruption. With China restricting exports and Qatar halting fertilizer output, prices are rising ahead of the U.S. spring planting season. The United States has no fertilizer stockpile buffer, so farmers could face input rationing or shifts in cropping if supplies tighten, risking higher costs and potentially lower yields for major crops amid tariff pressures.

via WIRED|
#fertilizer#iran#nitrogen
"Volcanic Lightning: The Spark of Life on Earth"
science2 years ago

"Volcanic Lightning: The Spark of Life on Earth"

Scientists from Sorbonne University in Paris have proposed a new theory on the origin of life on Earth, suggesting that it was triggered by lightning from volcanic eruptions in Turkey, Peru, and Italy, which emitted high levels of nitrogen. The study indicates that the combination of nitrogen and lightning created nitrogen oxide, releasing amino acids into the soil and potentially fostering the earliest lifeforms. This challenges the idea that life on Earth originated from space, providing evidence that volcanic lightning played a crucial role in creating the necessary conditions for life to emerge on our planet.

via Daily Mail|
#earth#lightning#nitrogen
The Origins of Globular Clusters: Unveiling Celestial Monsters.
astronomy3 years ago

The Origins of Globular Clusters: Unveiling Celestial Monsters.

Researchers from the universities of Geneva, Paris, and Barcelona have found evidence that supermassive stars existed within globular clusters when they formed 13 billion years ago. These clusters are the universe’s most massive and ancient star groupings, housing up to a million individual stars. The researchers believe that they have detected the initial chemical evidence of these stars in globular proto-clusters, which came into existence approximately 440 million years following the Big Bang. The results were obtained thanks to observations by the James-Webb space telescope.

via SciTechDaily|
#astronomy#chemical-makeup#globular-clusters
The Evolution of Life on Earth: Lightning and the Sun's Impact.
science3 years ago

The Evolution of Life on Earth: Lightning and the Sun's Impact.

Lightning was not a major source of bioavailable nitrogen for life on early Earth, according to a new study. Although lightning was responsible for breaking apart N2 molecules, the isotopic composition found in rock records suggests that microorganisms have been able to convert N2 gas into bioavailable forms for more than three billion years. The study also provides insight into identifying the source of nitrate deposits on Mars and other planets and moons in our solar system.

via Phys.org|
#earth#lightning#mars
Webb telescope detects massive stars in the universe.
astronomy3 years ago

Webb telescope detects massive stars in the universe.

The James Webb Space Telescope has detected the first chemical signs of supermassive stars, which are "celestial monsters" that blaze with the brightness of millions of Suns in the early universe. The largest stars observed so far have a mass of around 300 times that of our Sun, but the supermassive star described in a new study has an estimated mass of 5,000 to 10,000 Suns. The researchers theorize that these huge stars are born from successive collisions in the tightly packed globular clusters, and they shoot out chemical "pollution" that feeds young forming stars, giving them a greater variety of chemicals.

via Phys.org|
#astronomy#chemical-elements#globular-clusters