Imaging & Spectroscopy – Page 3 – My WordPress Site

Graphical Abstract -- ACS Central Science

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar

Nonequilibrium Synthesis of Glycolamide (NH2COCH2OH), a Precursor to Amino Acids, on Interstellar Nanoparticles

by Keith CowingApril 8, 2026April 8, 2026

PIXL micro-XRF observation from the third “Apollo Temple” scan (a,b), alongside a SHERLOC WATSON color image for context (c). An RGB composite shows the areas with relative enrichment of FeOT, SO3, and SiO2 where brownish tones highlight Fe-sulfide (a). Zones of Ni enrichment are seen in yellow (b) and marked with white arrows (a,b,c). Dashed black box shows the approximate area of the PIXL scan (c). Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs

Strong Nickel Enrichment Co-located With Redox-organic Interactions In Neretva Vallis, Mars

by Keith CowingApril 8, 2026April 8, 2026

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains & Lava Tubes, Comets and Asteroids, Extinction events, Fossils & Paleontology, Gaia - Planetary Perspectives, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Origin & Evolution of Life

The Zhamanshin Impact Event: Potential Implications for Environmental Responses and Biological Linkages on Earth and Beyond

by Keith CowingApril 7, 2026April 7, 2026

Camera footprint on the sky, including the expected in-flight absolute pointing error. Different colours represent different number of cameras observing the same region of the sky. Grey stars belong to the PIC, but they will not be observed in LOPS2 with the nominal pointing error budget. On the right panel there is a detail of the misalignment of the N-CAMs with respect to the commanded attitude. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronauts and Explorers, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware

Assessment Of PLATO Science Performance

by Keith CowingApril 7, 2026April 7, 2026

Molecular composition of haze samples from the N2-rich/CH4 and H2O-rich/CH4 experiments. Left panels: Very high-resolution mass spectra (m/z 150–800) of haze particles produced from the N2-rich/CH4 and H2O-rich/CH4 experiments, acquired in both positive and negative ionization modes. Assigned CHO, CHN, and CHON species are shown in red, green, and yellow, respectively, while grey data points correspond to mass peaks with no formula matched within the mass accuracy threshold (< 0.0001 Da). For each spectrum, the adjacent pie charts summarize the percentage of molecular formulas and their relative abundances based on summed peak intensities of the assigned organic species. Right panels: Corresponding van Krevelen diagrams combining matched formulas from both ionization modes, shown as H/C vs. N/C and H/C vs. O/C. Each circle represents an assigned formula, where color denotes the degree of unsaturation and marker size scales with peak intensity. -- astro-ph.EP

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy

Influence Of CO Versus CH4 On Organic Haze Formation In Atmospheres Of Diverse Terrestrial Exoplanets

by Keith CowingApril 7, 2026April 7, 2026

ID: ESP_049028_2065 date: 10 January 2017 altitude: 287 km NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Larger image

Alpha Centauri, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Desert Worlds, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Mars

Icy Flow In A Crater On Mars

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Raman images showing the distribution of OM (red) and titanite (Ttn, purple) inside spheroids immediately adjacent to apatite (Ap, turquoise) and lepidocrocite (Lpc, white) embedded in the basaltic glass fragment composed of chlorite (Chl, blue). Note the surrounding matrix of calcite (Cal, green) does not contain apatite, the presence of microscopic size apatite and of nanoscopic size apatite crystals, and the location of the two regions of interest (ROI) for each. -- Nature Communications Earth & Environment

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Microbiology & Virology, Nanotechnology & SynBio

Ichnofossils in Volcanic Glass From Palaeoproterozoic Hydrothermal Vents Were Burrowed By Microorganisms Probably Seeking Phosphate

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

A summary of the CO and N2 reported in various comets with respect to parent molecule (top) and with respect to water (bottom).

Analog Studies, Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Comets and Asteroids, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy

CO and N2 Produced from H2O, CO2, and NH3 Cometary Ice Analogs

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Away Teams & Field Reports, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Tricorders & Sensors

Revealing the Internal Structure of Mars-Analog Glaciers From Drone-Based Radar Sounding

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026

Artist’s conception of the gas giant planet TOI-5205 b orbiting a small, cool red dwarf star. Image courtesy of Katherine Cain, Carnegie Science.

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Imaging & Spectroscopy

Giant Planet TOI-5205 b Orbits A Small Red Star

by Keith CowingApril 6, 2026April 6, 2026