Tag: solar radiation
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Radiation Environment of Planets: How Solar FUV Shapes Planetary Atmospheres
Understanding the Radiation Environment of Planets Planets orbiting the Sun are continually bathed in a spectrum of energy that drives atmospheric chemistry, climate, and surface conditions. Among these energies, far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation plays a pivotal role in photochemistry—the chemical reactions initiated by photons. Interpreting observations of planetary atmospheres, from Earth to distant worlds, requires a…
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Understanding the Energy Radiation Environment of Planets in the Sun’s Wake
Introduction: Why Solar Radiation Shapes Planetary Atmospheres From the scorching dayside of Mercury to the icy clouds of Saturn, every planet experiences a unique energy radiation environment determined by its distance from the Sun, atmospheric composition, magnetic field, and orbital dynamics. A key component of this environment is far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation, a potent driver of…
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Energy Radiation Environment of Planets in the Sun’s Wake
Introduction: Why Radiation Environments Matter for Planetary Atmospheres The radiation environment a planet experiences from the Sun governs atmospheric chemistry, dynamics, and evolution. Far-ultraviolet (FUV) radiation, in particular, acts as a primary driver of photochemical processes that shape the composition of upper atmospheres, ionospheres, and even escape rates. To interpret observations of planetary atmospheres correctly,…
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Largest Sun of 2026: Earth Reaches Perihelion in Early January
What is perihelion and why does it matter? Perihelion is the point in Earth’s orbit where we are closest to the Sun. In 2026, this celestial milestone occurs on or around January 3, when our planet reaches its minimum distance from its parent star. Although the distance varies slightly each year due to gravitational influences,…
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Earth’s Quiet Sputter: NASA Data Reveals Uneven Solar Absorption and Looming Climate Imbalance
Summary: A Subtle But Critical Shift in Earth’s Energy Balance New satellite measurements over the past 24 years have illuminated an unsettling trend: Earth is absorbing more sunlight than before, and the distribution of this absorbed energy is uneven. NASA researchers report that the Northern Hemisphere is darkening at a faster rate than the Southern…
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Interstellar Invader 3I/ATLAS Brightens Unexpectedly Near Sun, Baffling Scientists
Unpredictable Brightening of an Interstellar Visitor The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, the first known visitor from another star system, has once again surprised astronomers. As it neared its closest approach to the Sun, the enigmatic object showed an unexpected surge in brightness that scientists still cannot fully explain. This rapid brightening, observed by several observatories around…