News tagged with earth system

Tidal forces could squeeze out planetary water

Alien planets might experience tidal forces powerful enough to remove all their water, leaving behind hot, dry worlds like Venus, researchers said.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (2) | comments 2 | with audio podcast

Infrared sounder on NASA's suomi NPP starts its mission

(PhysOrg.com) -- A powerful new infrared instrument, flying on NASA's newest polar-orbiting satellite, designed to give scientists more refined information about Earth's atmosphere and improve weather forecasts ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 09, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Tree rings may underestimate climate response to volcanic eruptions: study

Some climate cooling caused by past volcanic eruptions may not be evident in tree-ring reconstructions of temperature change because large enough temperature drops lead to greatly shortened or even absent growing seasons, ...

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Feb 05, 2012 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (3) | comments 22 | with audio podcast

Report identifies 16 highest priorities to guide NASA's Technology Development efforts for next 5 years

During the next five years, NASA technology development efforts should focus on 16 high-priority technologies and their associated top technical challenges, says a new report from the National Research Council. In addition, ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 01, 2012 | popularity 2 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Help astronomers measure the solar system

As the bright Mars-crossing asteroid 433 Eros makes its closest approach to Earth since 1975, astronomers around the globe are taking the opportunity to measure its position in the sky, thereby fine-tuning ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Feb 01, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Nasa renames earth-observing mission in honor of satellite pioneer

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA has renamed its newest Earth-observing satellite in honor of the late Verner E. Suomi, a meteorologist at the University of Wisconsin who is recognized widely as "the father of satellite ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 25, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

The Rings of Pluto?

Like other bodies in the outer Solar System, Pluto may have have rings orbiting it. Finding these rings could be important for the safety of NASA's New Horizons mission - currently en route to the tiny world.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 25, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (3) | comments 0

SDO helps measure magnetic fields on the sun's surface

(PhysOrg.com) -- Science nuggets are a collection of early science results, new research techniques, and instrument updates that further our attempt to understand the sun and the dynamic space weather system ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 20, 2012 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (5) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Could 2012 be the year we find extraterrestrial life?

Last year came to an exciting end with the discovery of an Earth-like planet, Kepler-22b, orbiting a sun-like star outside of our solar system. It was found by NASA’s Kepler mission and is the first planet ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 19, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (8) | comments 1

How many moons does Earth have?

Look up in a clear night sky. How many moons do you see? Chances are, you’re only going to count to one. Admittedly, if you count any higher and you’re not alone, you may get some funny looks cast ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 10, 2012 | popularity 3 / 5 (5) | comments 4

Colorado mountain hail may disappear in a warmer future: study

Summertime hail could all but disappear from the eastern flank of Colorado's Rocky Mountains by 2070, according to a new modeling study by scientists from NOAA and several other institutions.

Space & Earth / Environment

created Jan 08, 2012 | popularity 3.7 / 5 (6) | comments 5 | with audio podcast

China's space ambitions ally glory with pragmatism

As China pushes to become a global space power, experts say its ambitions go well beyond a symbolic moon landing, to satellite observation and a global positioning system to rival that of the United States.

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 05, 2012 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (5) | comments 1

Evaluating the energy balance of Saturn's moon Titan

To understand the weather and climate on Earth as well as on other planets and their moons, scientists need to know the global energy balance, the balance between energy coming in from solar radiation and thermal energy radiated ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Jan 02, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (4) | comments 2

Mercury's magnetic field -- nipped in the bud

(PhysOrg.com) -- Mercury, the smallest of the eight planets with a diameter of 4900 kilometres and the closest to the Sun, looks more like the Moon than the Earth from the outside. It is the only rocky planet ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 23, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 27 | with audio podcast

Dawn sends first low altitude images of Vesta

(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA's Dawn spacecraft has sent back the first images of the giant asteroid Vesta from its low-altitude mapping orbit. The images, obtained by the framing camera, show the stippled and lumpy ...

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

created Dec 21, 2011 | popularity 4.2 / 5 (10) | comments 3 | with audio podcast