Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anders Johansen, Thomas Ronnet, Martin Bizzarro, Martin Schiller, Michiel Lambrechts, Ake Nordlund, Helmut Lammer
Summary: Millimeter-sized pebbles are abundant in protoplanetary discs around young stars, and may play a role in the formation of terrestrial planets. A model suggests that inward-drifting pebbles can contribute to the growth of terrestrial planets, with the isotopic compositions of Earth and Mars supporting this theory. Additionally, the water and carbon budget of Earth could have been delivered by pebbles from an early generation.
Review
Environmental Sciences
Csaba Palotai, Shawn Brueshaber, Ramanakumar Sankar, Kunio Sayanagi
Summary: The atmospheres of the outer planets in our Solar System exhibit a wide array of intriguing cloud features, varying in color and size. The distinct differences in cloud types observed suggest a complex interplay between the dynamics and chemistry at play in these atmospheres. The contrasting banded structures of Jupiter and Saturn compared to the sporadic clouds on the ice giants highlight the diverse dynamic, chemical, and thermal processes shaping these atmospheres. This review presents evidence of moist convective activity in the gas giant atmospheres of our Solar System through remote sensing data from both ground- and space-based observations. The processes driving moist convective activity, including dynamics and microphysics shaping the resulting clouds, are discussed, as well as the effects of moist convection on large-scale dynamics such as jet structures on these planets.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
S. Fonte, D. Turrini, E. Pacetti, E. Schisano, S. Molinari, D. Polychroni, R. Politi, Q. Changeat
Summary: In this study, we investigate the influence of temperature and non-solar abundances of oxygen and refractory elements on the atmospheric C/O ratio of high-metallicity giant exoplanets. Our results show that the interaction between atmospheric temperature and the abundances of oxygen and refractory elements can significantly affect the C/O ratio estimation. Applying our findings to Jupiter in the Solar System, we find that the currently estimated water abundance indicates an oxygen abundance four times that of the Sun's.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Masahiro Ogihara, Yasunori Hori, Masanobu Kunitomo, Kenji Kurosaki
Summary: The study demonstrates that the formation of giant planets with large metal masses can be explained by a mechanism involving envelope mass loss during giant impacts and core accretion during disk evolution. Gas accretion and photoevaporation are key factors in the formation of giant planets with large metal fractions.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Mohamad Ali-Dib, Andrew Cumming, Douglas N. C. Lin
Summary: The study investigates the origins of cold sub-Saturns (CSSs) and suggests that they may emerge from giant collisions between sub-critical protoplanets, leading to the formation of CSS without transforming into gas giants. Results indicate that CSS could be more common than previously thought, and their formation is robust across various disc densities, grain opacities, and silicate abundances in the envelope.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Michael T. Roman
Summary: The mid-infrared spectral region allows us to study the atmospheric temperature, chemistry, and dynamics of giant planets. Over a century of mid-infrared remote sensing has provided clearer pictures of the composition and thermal structure of these atmospheres, as well as a better understanding of the processes that shape them. While our knowledge of Jupiter and Saturn benefits from their proximity and warmer temperatures, the details of Uranus and Neptune, which are colder and more distant, remain limited. However, with new observations on the horizon, we are beginning to develop an understanding of the temporal and seasonal variability of the giant planets.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Walter Dehnen, Thomas O. Hands, Ralph Schonrich
Summary: Capture of interstellar objects into the Solar system is determined by their incoming speeds and phase-space density. Most bound orbits mixed with unbound phase space, implying similar density. Assuming an interstellar number density of 0.1 au(-3), an estimated 2 ISOs are captured by the planets within 1000 years, resulting in a population of around 8 captured ISOs within 5 au of the Sun. However, ISOs are not expected to remain captive at a distance less than or about 2000 au for extensive periods.
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Amy A. Simon, Michael H. Wong, Lawrence A. Sromovsky, Leigh N. Fletcher, Patrick M. Fry
Summary: Observations of the giant planets have been limited to infrequent robotic spacecraft missions, but the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based telescopes with adaptive optics have provided high-resolution imaging and long-term monitoring. These observations have allowed for in-depth studies of the clouds, winds, and atmospheric structure, as well as comparisons between different planets and regions. Temporal variations in various aspects of the atmospheres have been measured, and future facilities will further enhance our understanding of atmospheric evolution on these planets.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Sarah E. Anderson, Jean-Marc Petit, Benoit Noyelles, Olivier Mousis, Philippe Rousselot
Summary: The study finds that objects formed in the region of the CO- and N-2- ice lines are highly likely to be sent towards the Oort Cloud or possibly ejected from the Solar System altogether. This could explain the lack of similar comets observed in the Solar System.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Shaig Nabiyev, Jason Yalim, Ayyub Guliyev, Rustam Guliyev
Summary: In this study, the researchers investigate the dynamic relationship between hyperbolic comets and a hypothetical planet 9 using numerical integration and analysis. They find evidence of a possible connection between the two, as well as clusters of comet distributions that may be caused by the hypothetical planet's perturbations.
ADVANCES IN SPACE RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bertram Bitsch, Aaron David Schneider, Laura Kreidberg
Summary: By studying the observations and simulations of hot Jupiters, researchers have found that the abundances of exoplanet atmospheres can reveal the planet formation pathway. Different species evaporate and condense during planet formation, leading to distinct atmospheric compositions and influencing the C/O ratio. The evaporation of pebbles and the viscosity parameter of the disk are identified as key factors in determining planetary composition.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Alexander Ruf, Alexis Bouquet, Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe Boduch, Olivier Mousis, Gregoire Danger
Summary: Experimental results show that complex organosulfur compounds can be formed when non-S-bearing organic residues are irradiated with high-energy S ions. These organosulfur compounds are different from those formed during the S ion irradiation of ices at 10 K, indicating a rich and complex scope of pristine organosulfur chemistry in the Solar System.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Christoph Burkhardt, Fridolin Spitzer, Alessandro Morbidelli, Gerrit Budde, Jan H. Render, Thomas S. Kruijer, Thorsten Kleine
Summary: The isotopic compositions of Earth and Mars are primarily influenced by materials from the inner solar system, refuting the idea of pebble accretion from the outer solar system. Instead, collisional growth from inner solar system embryos is supported, with a low fraction of outer solar system material present in Earth and Mars indicating the presence of a persistent dust-drift barrier in the disk, highlighting the specific pathway of rocky planet formation in the solar system.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
C. Kohn, Ch. Helling, M. Bodker Enghoff, K. Haynes, J. P. Sindel, D. Krog, D. Gobrecht
Summary: The study focuses on modelling the formation of TiO2-cloud condensation nuclei in exoplanet atmospheres using 3D Monte Carlo simulations. They found that the growth efficiency of (TiO2)(N) clusters has a peak temperature at around 1000 K, triggering CCN formation. The onset of cloud formation may be observable through specific vibrational lines of (TiO2)(4), (TiO2)(5), and (TiO2)(6).
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
A. -M. Lagrange, F. Philipot, P. Rubini, N. Meunier, F. Kiefer, P. Kervella, P. Delorme, H. Beust
Summary: This article investigates the population statistics and the impact of giant planets on the formation of planetary systems. By reanalyzing previous survey results, it is found that the conclusions about the distribution of giant planets beyond (5-8 astronomical units) are not reliable.
ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
O. Mousis, D. H. Atkinson, R. Ambrosi, S. Atreya, D. Banfield, S. Barabash, M. Blanc, T. Cavalie, A. Coustenis, M. Deleuil, G. Durry, F. Ferri, L. N. Fletcher, T. Fouchet, T. Guillot, P. Hartogh, R. Hueso, M. Hofstadter, J. -P. Lebreton, K. E. Mandt, H. Rauer, P. Rannou, J. -b. Renard, A. Sanchez-Lavega, K. M. Sayanagi, A. A. Simon, T. Spilker, E. Venkatapathy, J. H. Waite, P. Wurz
Summary: Remote sensing observations have limitations when studying the atmospheric composition of giant planets in our Solar System, impacting our understanding of their formation and atmospheres. In situ probe measurements, like those by the Galileo probe on Jupiter, provide crucial data on noble gas abundances and helium mixing ratios. Future in situ exploration of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune aims to address scientific goals related to planetary formation history and atmospheric processes, with the potential for significant contributions to future NASA missions.
EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY
(2022)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Paul G. Lucey, Noah Petro, Dana M. Hurley, William M. Farrell, Parvathy Prem, Emily S. Costello, Morgan L. Cable, Michael K. Barker, Mehdi Benna, M. Darby Dyar, Elizabeth A. Fisher, Robert O. Green, Paul O. Hayne, Karl Hibbitts, Casey Honniball, Shuai Li, Erick Malaret, Kathy Mandt, Erwan Mazarico, Molly McCanta, Carle Pieters, Xiaoli Sun, David Thompson, Thomas Orlando
Summary: The Moon is generally lacking volatile elements, including water. Recent discoveries have revealed a more complex volatile environment than previously believed, with unexpected chemical reactions and issues regarding volatile transport.
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Sebastien Rodriguez, Sandrine Vinatier, Daniel Cordier, Gabriel Tobie, Richard K. Achterberg, Carrie M. Anderson, Sarah Badman, Jason W. Barnes, Erika L. Barth, Bruno Bezard, Nathalie Carrasco, Benjamin Charnay, Roger N. Clark, Patrice Coll, Thomas Cornet, Athena Coustenis, Isabelle Couturier-Tamburelli, Michel Dobrijevic, F. Michael Flasar, Remco de Kok, Caroline Freissinet, Marina Galand, Thomas Gautier, Wolf D. Geppert, Caitlin A. Griffith, Murthy S. Gudipati, Lina Z. Hadid, Alexander G. Hayes, Amanda R. Hendrix, Ralf Jaumann, Donald E. Jennings, Antoine Jolly, Klara Kalousova, Tommi T. Koskinen, Panayotis Lavvas, Sebastien Lebonnois, Jean-Pierre Lebreton, Alice Le Gall, Emmanuel Lellouch, Stephane Le Mouelic, Rosaly M. C. Lopes, Juan M. Lora, Ralph D. Lorenz, Antoine Lucas, Shannon MacKenzie, Michael J. Malaska, Kathleen Mandt, Marco Mastrogiuseppe, Claire E. Newman, Conor A. Nixon, Jani Radebaugh, Scot C. Rafkin, Pascal Rannou, Ella M. Sciamma-O'Brien, Jason M. Soderblom, Anezina Solomonidou, Christophe Sotin, Katrin Stephan, Darrell Strobel, Cyril Szopa, Nicholas A. Teanby, Elizabeth P. Turtle, Veronique Vuitton, Robert A. West
Summary: In response to ESA's Voyage 2050 announcement, the proposed POSEIDON mission aims to explore Saturn's largest moon, Titan, through joint orbital and in situ investigations. The mission aims to exceed the accomplishments of the Cassini-Huygens mission and explore Titan's northern latitudes in complement with NASA's upcoming Dragonfly mission. The ideal arrival time at Titan would be slightly before the next northern Spring equinox in 2039.
EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
K. E. Mandt, O. Mousis, D. Hurley, A. Bouquet, K. D. Retherford, L. O. Magana, A. Luspay-Kuti
Summary: Returning humans to the Moon offers a unique opportunity to study the origin of volatiles in the permanently shaded regions (PSRs). The source of these volatiles, sampled by the LCROSS mission, is likely cometary impacts and not volcanic outgassing. This suggests that volatiles in the top 1-3 meters of the Cabeus PSR regolith could be younger than the most recent volcanic outgassing event.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jacob Lustig-Yaeger, Kristin S. Sotzen, Kevin B. Stevenson, Rodrigo Luger, Erin M. May, L. C. Mayorga, Kathleen Mandt, Noam R. Izenberg
Summary: In this work, a Hierarchical Bayesian Atmospheric Retrieval (HBAR) model is developed to infer population-level trends in exoplanet atmospheric characteristics. Using simulated observations and JWST-quality observations, the study finds that CO2 causes subtle differences in the spectra, and the HBAR model is capable of inferring population-level parameters and rejecting other trends with high confidence.
ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kathleen E. Mandt
Review
Astronomy & Astrophysics
P. C. Brandt, E. Provornikova, S. D. Bale, A. Cocoros, R. DeMajistre, K. Dialynas, H. A. Elliott, S. Eriksson, B. Fields, A. Galli, M. E. Hill, M. Horanyi, T. Horbury, S. Hunziker, P. Kollmann, J. Kinnison, G. Fountain, S. M. Krimigis, W. S. Kurth, J. Linsky, C. M. Lisse, K. E. Mandt, W. Magnes, R. L. McNutt, J. Miller, E. Moebius, P. Mostafavi, M. Opher, L. Paxton, F. Plaschke, A. R. Poppe, E. C. Roelof, K. Runyon, S. Redfield, N. Schwadron, V. Sterken, P. Swaczyna, J. Szalay, D. Turner, H. Vannier, R. Wimmer-Schweingruber, P. Wurz, E. J. Zirnstein
Summary: This article provides a detailed overview of the knowledge gaps in our understanding of the interaction between the heliosphere and the largely unexplored Very Local Interstellar Medium (VLISM), as well as predictions of potential scientific discoveries in this field. The article discusses the new measurements needed to make progress in space physics, including in-situ plasma and pick-up ion measurements, direct sampling of VLISM properties, and remote imaging to discern the heliospheric shape and interaction with interstellar hydrogen. A 4-year NASA funded mission study reports the implementation of a pragmatic Interstellar Probe mission with a nominal design life of reaching 375 Astronomical Units (au), with likely operation out to 550 au.
SPACE SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Review
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Alexa J. Halford, Angeline G. Burrell, Michael W. Liemohn, McArthur Jones, Astrid Maute, Tuija I. Pulkkinen, Christopher M. Bard, Ryan M. McGranaghan, Lynn B. Wilson III, Robert C. Allen, Chuanfei Dong, Sarah K. Vines, Liang Wang, Niescja Turner, Katherine Garcia-Sage, Kathleen Mandt, Jeff Klenzing
Summary: A survey on heliophysics reveals that many heliophysicists suffer from bullying and harassment, leading to burnout and thoughts of leaving the field. This calls for collective efforts to establish policies and commitments towards a truly inclusive culture, ensuring the well-being of colleagues and the success of the field.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSICS
(2023)
Correction
Astronomy & Astrophysics
John W. Noonan, Walter M. Harris, Steven Bromley, Davide Farnocchia, Jian-Yang Li, Kathleen E. Mandt, Joel Wm. Parker, Kumar Venkataramani, Dennis Bodewits
PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
John W. Noonan, Joel Wm. Parker, Walter M. Harris, Steven Bromley, Mohammad Saki, Youssef Moulane, Davide Farnocchia, Marco Micheli, Jian-Yang Li, Kathleen E. Mandt, Kumar Venkataramani, Dennis Bodewits
Summary: Researchers used the Hubble Space Telescope to observe two comets and found that their volatile materials were more abundant than previously thought. The study of sulfur-bearing molecules in comets is important for understanding planetesimal formation environments. Several hypotheses were proposed to explain the discrepancy, and future studies were outlined to address these issues.
PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
L. O. Magana, K. D. Retherford, B. D. Byron, A. R. Hendrix, C. Grava, K. E. Mandt, U. Raut, E. Czajka, P. O. Hayne, D. M. Hurley, G. R. Gladstone, M. J. Poston, T. K. Greathouse, W. Pryor, J. T. Cahill, A. Stickle
Summary: Nighttime Lyman Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) observations are used to investigate condensed volatiles at the south polar region of the Moon. The study detects an increase in albedo ratios consistent with condensed surface volatiles, but the identification of specific species like CO2 and NH3 requires further spectral modeling. The analysis of normalized albedo ratios across different regions of interest helps characterize the relative abundances of volatiles and is important for future missions to the Moon.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Elizabeth Czajka, Kurt Retherford, Georgiana Kramer, Amanda Hendrix, Joshua Cahill, Benjamin Byron, Benjamin Greenhagen, Thomas Greathouse, Lizeth Magana, Kathleen Mandt, Cesare Grava
Summary: Using LAMP data, this study investigates four regions of interest around Aristarchus crater and compares their Off/On-band ratios to laboratory-derived ratios of different minerals. The study finds that LAMP Off/On-band ratios can distinguish between plagioclase feldspars and minerals such as quartz, and the Off/On-band ratios at Aristarchus are higher than previously reported for plagioclase-rich regions, suggesting a unique composition.
PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
O. Mousis, A. Bouquet, Y. Langevin, N. Andre, H. Boithias, G. Durry, F. Faye, P. Hartogh, J. Helbert, L. Iess, S. Kempf, A. Masters, F. Postberg, J. -B. Renard, P. Vernazza, A. Vorburger, P. Wurz, D. H. Atkinson, S. Barabash, M. Berthomier, J. Brucato, M. Cable, J. Carter, S. Cazaux, A. Coustenis, G. Danger, V. Dehant, T. Fornaro, P. Garnier, T. Gautier, O. Groussin, L. Z. Hadid, J. -C. Ize, I. Kolmasova, J. -P. Lebreton, S. Le Maistre, E. Lellouch, J. I. Lunine, K. E. Mandt, Z. Martins, D. Mimoun, Q. Nenon, G. M. Munoz Caro, P. Rannou, H. Rauer, P. Schmitt-Kopplin, A. Schneeberger, M. Simons, K. Stephan, T. Van Hoolst, J. Vaverka, M. Wieser, L. Woerner
Summary: Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, has an internal water ocean and expels ocean material into space. The Moonraker mission aims to investigate the composition of the plume formed by the ocean jets to understand the moon's habitability and origin. This proposed mission will use advanced instruments to pave the way for future landed missions.
PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Darryl Z. Seligman, Leslie A. Rogers, Samuel H. C. Cabot, John W. Noonan, Theodore Kareta, Kathleen E. Mandt, Fred Ciesla, Adam McKay, Adina D. Feinstein, W. Garrett Levine, Jacob L. Bean, Thomas Nordlander, Mark R. Krumholz, Megan Mansfield, Devin J. Hoover, Eric Van Clepper
Summary: Based on the discoveries of interstellar objects like 'Oumuamua and Borisov, the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey is expected to detect at least one interstellar object annually. Future measurements of H2O, CO2, and CO production rates in these objects will help estimate their carbon-to-oxygen ratios. Studies on solar system comets suggest they formed interior to the CO snow line, while the preferential desorption of CO and CO2 relative to H2O in the interstellar medium indicates that measured C/O ratios represent lower limits on the primordial ratios.
PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Ian J. Cohen, Chloe Beddingfield, Robert Chancia, Gina DiBraccio, Matthew Hedman, Shannon MacKenzie, Barry Mauk, Kunio M. Sayanagi, Krista M. Soderlund, Elizabeth Turtle, Caitlin Ahrens, Christopher S. Arridge, Shawn M. Brooks, Emma Bunce, Sebastien Charnoz, Athena Coustenis, Robert A. Dillman, Soumyo Dutta, Leigh N. Fletcher, Rebecca Harbison, Ravit Helled, Richard Holme, Lauren Jozwiak, Yasumasa Kasaba, Peter Kollmann, Statia Luszcz-Cook, Kathleen Mandt, Olivier Mousis, Alessandro Mura, Go Murakami, Marzia Parisi, Abigail Rymer, Sabine Stanley, Katrin Stephan, Ronald J. Vervack Jr., Michael H. Wong, Peter Wurz
Summary: The exploration of the Uranian system is crucial for understanding the formation and evolution of our solar system and studying exoplanets. The scientific case for a New Frontiers-class Uranus orbiter needs to be evaluated and studied.
PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL
(2022)
