A detailed study of evaporite (chloride) deposits on Mars shows that small bodies of surface water persisted until about 2.5 Ga, more recently than previously thought.
Planetary atmospheres
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Order in Turbulence
Extracting order from turbulence is difficult, even under the most idealized conditions. A new scaling theory quantifies how eddies influence temperature gradients in geophysical turbulence.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Earth-like Oscillations Detected in Saturn’s Stratosphere
By comparing Cassini observations spanning ten years, Saturn’s equatorial oscillation is shown to have similarities to Earth’s Quasi-Biennial Oscillation and Semi-Annual Oscillation.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
How Geomagnetic Storms Light Up the Geocorona
After geomagnetic storms, Earth’s corona abruptly increases in hydrogen density. For the first time, serendipitous observations have allowed researchers to investigate why.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Spacecraft Returns Its First Data on Martian Solar Irradiance
Scientists demonstrate the capabilities and limitations of the mathematical model used to calculate solar irradiance using measurements from NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN).
Posted inResearch Spotlights
A (Dust) Devil of a Time—on Mars
New computer simulations of Martian dust devils could aid Red Planet weather forecasts.
Posted inScience Updates
Comparing Planetary Climates to Investigate Climate Systems
Comparative Climates of Terrestrial Planets II (CCTP2 ): Understanding How Climate Systems Work; Moffett Field, California, 8–11 September 2015
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Hubble Gazes at Europa's Aurora
Scientists get their best glimpse yet of the shimmering phenomena on one of Jupiter's most intriguing moons.
Posted inNews
Ancient Start of Animal Evolution Wasn't Delayed by Low Oxygen
New research finds that Earth had sufficient oxygen 1.4 billion years ago for animals to evolve. Therefore, low oxygen levels probably didn't hold back evolution, as scientists have long thought.
Posted inNews
Charles A. Barth, 1930–2014
Long-time director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics conducted pioneering studies of the atmospheres of Earth and other planets using ultraviolet spectroscopy.