NASA Astrobiology



A volcanically active planet is shown in closeup at the left side of the image with glowing eruptions and lines of lava on the surface. To the right and in the distance is a faint blue glowing ball representing the more massive planet in the system.

Sixteen frames from Voyager 1's flyby of Jupiter in 1979 were merged to create this image. Jupiter's Great Red Spot is visible in the center. Jupiter's moon Europa can be seen in the foreground at the bottom left of the image.

The frame is a horizontal rainbow of color on a grid. Shadows of molecules can be seen through the light as well as the jagged peaks and troughs of spectral lines.

Fizzy Super Earths and Lava Worlds“Fizzy Super-Earths: Impacts of Magma Composition on the Bulk Density and Structure of Lava Worlds.” in The Astrophysical Journal.01/03

Identifying Hydrothermal Activity on Icy Ocean Worlds“Ethene-ethanol ratios as potential indicators of hydrothermal activity at Enceladus, Europa, and other icy ocean worlds.” In Icarus.02/03

NASA Raman Spectroscopic Database"The NASA Raman spectroscopic database: Ramdb version 1.00.” In Icarus.03/03

NextPrevious

Go Explore

June 2022Leveraging Earth Hydrosphere Science in the Search for Life on Ocean Worlds

Hoehler, T., , ., Bowman, J., Craft, K., Willis, P., & Winebrenner, D. (2022). Leveraging Earth Hydrosphere Science in the Search for Life on Ocean Worlds. Oceanography. doi:10.5670/oceanog.2021.412

Variability in Titan’s Mesospheric HCN and Temperature Structure as Observed by ALMA

Thelen, A. E., Nixon, C. A., Cosentino, R. G., Cordiner, M. A., Teanby, N. A., Newman, C. E., … Charnley, S. B. (2022). Variability in Titan’s Mesospheric HCN and Temperature Structure as Observed by ALMA. The Planetary Science Journal, 3(6), 146. doi:10.3847/psj/ac7050

May 2022Ocean System Science to Inform the Exploration of Ocean Worlds

German, C., , ., Blackman, D., Fisher, A., Girguis, P., Hand, K., … Toner, B. (2022). Ocean System Science to Inform the Exploration of Ocean Worlds. Oceanography. doi:10.5670/oceanog.2021.411

A Multi-Technique Analysis of Surface Materials From Blood Falls, Antarctica

Sklute, E. C., Mikucki, J. A., Dyar, M. D., Lee, P. A., Livi, K. J. T., & Mitchell, S. (2022). A Multi-Technique Analysis of Surface Materials From Blood Falls, Antarctica. Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 9, None. doi:10.3389/fspas.2022.843174

The Effect of Ocean Salinity on Climate and Its Implications for Earth's Habitability

Olson, S., Jansen, M. F., Abbot, D. S., Halevy, I., & Goldblatt, C. (2022). The Effect of Ocean Salinity on Climate and Its Implications for Earth's Habitability. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(10), None. doi:10.1029/2021gl095748

April 2022Compositions of dissolved organic matter in the ice-covered waters above the Aurora hydrothermal vent system, Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean

Sert, M. F., Niemann, H., Reeves, E. P., Granskog, M. A., Hand, K. P., Kekäläinen, T., … Gründger, F. (2022). Compositions of dissolved organic matter in the ice-covered waters above the Aurora hydrothermal vent system, Gakkel Ridge, Arctic Ocean. Biogeosciences, 19(8), 2101–2120. doi:10.5194/bg-19-2101-2022

Double ridge formation over shallow water sills on Jupiter’s moon Europa

Culberg, R., Schroeder, D. M., & Steinbrügge, G. (2022). Double ridge formation over shallow water sills on Jupiter’s moon Europa. Nature Communications, 13(1), None. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-29458-3

January 2022Strike-slip faulting on Titan: Modeling tidal stresses and shear failure conditions due to pore fluid interactions

Burkhard, L. M. L., Smith-Konter, B. R., Fagents, S. A., Cameron, M. E., Collins, G. C., & Pappalardo, R. T. (2022). Strike-slip faulting on Titan: Modeling tidal stresses and shear failure conditions due to pore fluid interactions. Icarus, 371, 114700. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114700

Implications of H2/CO2 disequilibrium for life on Enceladus

Hoehler, T. M. (2022). Implications of H2/CO2 disequilibrium for life on Enceladus. Nature Astronomy, 6(1), 3–4. doi:10.1038/s41550-021-01583-x

December 2021Modeling the formation of Menrva impact crater on Titan: Implications for habitability

Crósta, A. P., Silber, E. A., Lopes, R. M. C., Johnson, B. C., Bjonnes, E., Malaska, M. J., … Soderblom, J. M. (2021). Modeling the formation of Menrva impact crater on Titan: Implications for habitability. Icarus, 370, 114679. doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114679

1...4/5/6/7/8/9