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  • Breaking Space News: July 7 - 13, 2024

Breaking Space News: July 7 - 13, 2024

Stunning Images of Galaxies and Quasars on JWST’s Anniversary, SpaceX faces Launch Scrutiny, Türkiye sees Inaugural Satellite Launch, and US moves forward with Space Traffic Coordination Infrastructure, while increasing spending on Space And Defense; 3D Printing in Microgravity, Simulating Solar Storms, Ancient Earthquakes and much more covered this week.

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Lagrangian Despatch
July 14, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 32 minutes

Dear Lagrangian,

Thanks for joining us this week!
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SPACE GOVERNANCE

 

SpaceX’s Starship Launch Plans Face Scrutiny Over Environmental Risks as it gears up for Starship Flight 5

SpaceX’s plan to launch its Starship rocket 44 times a year from Kennedy Space Center faces opposition from rivals Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance (ULA). This comes at the same time as SpaceX gears up for the fifth test flight of its Starship megarocket, expected to launch in late July.

Blue Origin’s objections focus on the potential environmental impact on local wildlife and the risk of catastrophic explosions due to the large quantities of liquid methane fuel. Blue Origin argues that the safety margins are excessively wide, overlapping with various facilities at Kennedy Space Center, including their own at launch pad 36. ULA’s criticisms are more extensive, highlighting the underestimated debris risk from previous test flights and questioning the adequacy of SpaceX’s environmental impact assessments. In April 2023, the Starship test flight, debris had scattered over a 6-mile (9.6-km) radius instead of the 1 square mile (2.5 sq km) projected by SpaceX’s environmental impact statement.

Starship’s first fully integrated flight test on April 20, 2023 that ended in an explosion. (Credit: SpaceX)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently reviewing these concerns as part of the consultation phase for SpaceX’s launch license. Environmental groups and local wildlife organizations have also voiced their worries about the potential disruption to wildlife and ecosystems. Despite these objections, the FAA has emphasized the importance of SpaceX’s operations for the U.S. space program, balancing technological progress with environmental protection.

SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk, has responded dismissively to these challenges, suggesting that the complaints are driven by competitive motives. The outcome of the FAA’s decision will determine whether SpaceX can proceed with its ambitious launch schedule, which aims to support missions to the Moon and Mars.

For its upcoming flight the company recently moved the Super Heavy booster to the launch pad at Starbase, Texas. This booster passed the nearly complete Starfactory, a facility designed to produce one Starship daily. Flight 5 may feature the use of “chopstick” arms to catch the Super Heavy booster, enhancing refurbishment efficiency.

Türkiye’s First Domestically Manufactured Satellite Launched to Expand Global Coverage

Turksat 6A, Türkiye's inaugural domestically manufactured satellite, was successfully launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station by SpaceX, on July 8. The communications satellite, currently positioned in a geosynchronous transfer orbit, is scheduled to undergo a comprehensive series of evaluations over the course of the next month prior to commencing operational service. The objective of Turksat 6A is to enhance Türkiye’s satellite coverage, extending it to regions such as India, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, thereby serving a population of approximately 5 billion individuals.

The headquarters of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), one of Türkiye's leading companies in the field of satellite technologies, working on Türksat 6A, Ankara, Türkiye, Sept. 21, 2023. (Credit: AA Photo)

US Space Traffic Coordination and Situational Awareness System ready for Beta Testing

The Traffic Coordination System for Space (TraCSS), a U.S. government initiative developed by the Office of Space Commerce (OSC). TraCSS is ready for beta testing. The system aims to provide basic space situational awareness and space traffic coordination services for civil and commercial space operators. The system, which has faced delays due to bureaucratic challenges, is set to transition space traffic coordination responsibilities from the Department of Defense to the Commerce Department, as mandated by a 2018 presidential directive.

The initial version of TraCSS will rely on DoD data, with future plans to integrate commercial data. Establishing universal standards for space conjunction data remains a significant challenge, as current warnings about potential satellite collisions vary between different organizations. TraCSS is key to moving space traffic coordination from the Department of Defense to Commerce, as directed by a 2018 presidential mandate. This shift is vital for meeting government goals and boosting the commercial space services industry with advanced capabilities beyond basic government offerings, as noted by SpaceNews.

The beta version, available for testing in October, will offer more frequent conjunction scanning compared to the current DoD service. Several industry players, including Parsons, AWS, LeoLabs, Slingshot Aerospace, Comspoc, Kayhan Space, and SpaceNAV, are involved in the project. OSC has also partnered with SpaceX to explore Starlink’s collision avoidance software.

In US, establishing a civilian agency for space traffic management is proving difficult, but is crucial for safe space operations. As Europe, Japan, China and US develop their own systems, standardizing space traffic data is becoming more challenging, leading to a fragmented global landscape. This complicates orbital situational awareness, as highlighted by a recent near-collision between a NASA satellite and a defunct Russian asset. Conflicting data from NASA, the DoD, and a commercial system had complicated the response. According to SpaceNews, Janice Starzyk, the deputy director of the Commerce Department’s Office of Space Commerce, stressed the need for better U.S. and international coordination, starting with defining standards.

 

SPACE COMMERCE

 

D-Orbit Expands to the U.S in a Joint Venture to Develop and Manufacture Satellites

D-Orbit, a European space transportation company, has launched a joint venture in the United States named D-Orbit USA. This venture aims to enter the satellite manufacturing business by leveraging the expertise of its American co-founders, who have experience with major satellite programs like OneWeb, Project Kuiper, and Starlink. The new entity will focus on developing the ION (InOrbit Now) satellite bus, which can accommodate payloads of up to 200 kilograms and offers both chemical and electric propulsion options.

Mike Cassidy, CEO of D-Orbit USA, emphasized the strategic benefits of their collaboration, combining D-Orbit's flight heritage with the U.S. team's local expertise. The ION satellite bus is cost-effective, quickly deliverable (9-12 months), and scalable for various customers. Despite no signed contracts, D-Orbit USA is optimistic, planning to launch its first satellite by 2025 and scale production based on demand. Components will be sourced from D-Orbit and other suppliers, assembled and tested in the U.S. for flexibility and cost competitiveness.

Cassidy highlighted the venture’s scalable production, likening it to his Apollo Fusion experience. According to him, D-Orbit USA can handle production from a few to 150 satellites, positioning it to compete in the growing satellite manufacturing market.

 

MILITARY IN SPACE

 

U.S. Defense Department Backs $140 Billion Sentinel Missile Program Despite Price Tag and Setbacks

The U.S. Department of Defense has decided to proceed with the $140 billion Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program, despite significant cost growth and schedule setbacks. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisitions, William LaPlante, has affirmed that the program satisfies the statutory requirements for continuation following an exhaustive review. This review was necessitated by a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach, wherein the program's costs surpassed statutory estimates by over 25 percent.

Northrop Grumman conducted Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile Shroud Fly-off Test at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake in Gebruary 2024. (Credit: Northrop Grumman)

The Sentinel program, led by Northrop Grumman, aims to replace the aging Minuteman III ICBMs, which form the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad. The program has faced criticism due to escalating costs, with the cost per unit rising from $118 million to $162 million. Total program acquisition costs are now estimated at $140.9 billion, with initial operational capability likely delayed to the early 2030s, reports SpaceNews.

Factors contributing to the cost increase include design changes requested by the Air Force, underestimation of infrastructure work complexity, economic factors such as increased construction costs and labor scarcity, and longer lead times for missile guidance system components. Despite these challenges, DoD officials emphasize the importance of modernizing nuclear forces to address current threats.

X-Bow Secures $70M for Rocket Motor Production Amid US Defense Contractor Interest as AEI Closes $1.28B Fund for Space Investments

In recent developments within the space sector, X-Bow Systems, a space technology startup specializing in solid rocket motors and small launch vehicles, has secured $70 million in Series B funding. This investment, led by venture capital firm Razor’s Edge, includes participation from major US defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin Ventures and Boeing Ventures, as noted by SpaceNews. The funds will be used to expand X-Bow’s production capabilities and complete a new manufacturing facility in Texas. X-Bow’s innovative use of 3D printing technology for solid rocket motors aims to reduce production time and costs, addressing critical industrial and defense needs.

Simultaneously, AE Industrial Partners (AEI), a private equity firm, has closed its third flagship fund with $1.28 billion in capital commitments. AEI plans to invest heavily in the space sector, citing its significant growth potential. The firm has already deployed over a quarter of the fund into companies like York Space Systems and Firefly Aerospace, which are involved in satellite manufacturing and small satellite launches, respectively. AEI’s strategic focus on aerospace and defense aligns with the increasing demand for space technologies to meet USA’s national security needs.

Scout Space Joins DARPA’s BRIDGES Program to Enhance U.S. Military Space Superiority

Scout Space, a startup specializing in space domain awareness and satellite flight software, has been chosen by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to join the BRIDGES (Bringing Classified Innovation to Defense and Government Systems) consortium. This initiative aims to connect innovative small companies with classified Department of Defense research and development efforts, bridging the gap between commercial technologies and defense needs.

Under the BRIDGES program, DARPA will sponsor Scout Space for a facility clearance, allowing access to secure areas and classified networks, reports SpaceNews. Scout Space aims to advance autonomous in-space threat response, crucial for U.S. military space superiority. The company will join quarterly classified meetings with government personnel, enhancing collaboration. This selection underscores the importance of space domain awareness and autonomous satellite operations in national defense. Scout Space’s expertise in high-fidelity sensors and autonomous maneuvers makes it a key partner for DARPA’s goals.

 

SPACE SCIENCE

 

James Webb Telescope Celebrates Anniversary with Infrared Glimpse of Arp 142 - the Penguin and the Egg

Arp 142, two interacting galaxies, observed in near- and mid-infrared light. At left is NGC 2937, nicknamed the Egg. Its center is the brighter and whiter. At right is NGC 2936, nicknamed the Penguin. Its beak-like region points toward and above the Egg. Where the eye would be is a small, opaque yellow spiral. The Penguin’s distorted arms form the bird’s beak, back, and tail. A semi-transparent blue hue traces the Penguin and extends from the galaxy, creating an upside-down U over top of both galaxies. At top right is another galaxy seen from the side, pointing roughly at a 45-degree angle. It is largely light blue. Its length appears approximately as long as the Egg’s height. One foreground star with large, bright blue diffraction spikes appears over top of the galaxy and another near it. The entire black background is filled with tiny, extremely distant galaxies. (Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI)

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s latest infrared images shows a pair of interacting galaxies, Arp 142, known as the Penguin and the Egg. This observation, marking the telescope’s second anniversary of scientific operations, highlights Webb’s ability to capture detailed images of cosmic phenomena. The galaxies, located 326 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra, are shown in a slow cosmic dance, with the Penguin’s original spiral shape (much like our own Milky Way’s current shape) being distorted by gravitational interactions. The ‘eye’ of the penguin is where the center of the spiral used to be.

Hubble’s visible light image is shown at left, and Webb’s near-infrared image at right. The background of space is largely black in both images. Both images show NGC 2936 at left, which is nicknamed the Egg, and NGC 2936 at right, nicknamed the Penguin. (Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI)

The telescope’s observations reveal the intricate details of the galaxies’ interaction, including areas of new star formation and the presence of carbon-containing molecules.

EarthCARE’s First Insights into Earth’s Energy Balance

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) satellite has begun delivering its first images from the broadband radiometer instrument, offering insights into Earth’s energy balance - the amount of energy it receives from the Sun, solar radiation, and the amount of thermal radiation that Earth emits back out to space. This balance, crucial for maintaining stable global temperatures, is influenced by factors such as clouds, aerosols, and greenhouse gases. The satellite, developed in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aims to enhance our understanding of how these elements interact with solar and thermal radiation.

EarthCARE in detail. (Credit: ESA/ATG Medialab)

The broadband radiometer’s three different viewing angles – one directly down from the satellite, one in front of the satellite’s path (forward) and one behind the satellite’s path (backward) – are key to capturing systematic three-dimensional views of both reflected and emitted radiation. (Credit: ESA/ATG Medialab)

Launched just over a month ago, EarthCARE has already provided valuable data from its cloud profiling radar. The broadband radiometer, which views the atmosphere from three directions simultaneously, measures radiative fluxes at the top of Earth’s atmosphere. This unique capability allows scientists to accurately assess Earth’s energy balance. EarthCARE’s mission is designed to advance our understanding of the role that clouds and aerosols play in reflecting incident solar radiation back into space and trapping infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface. This balance between incoming solar radiation, which heats Earth, and outgoing thermal radiation, which cools Earth, is critical for maintaining the planet’s climate. The satellite’s advanced instruments provide a holistic view of these interactions, offering unprecedented data to improve climate models and support numerical weather prediction.

The image zooms into the Atlas Mountains with thunder clouds towering 10 km into the atmosphere. It shows the measured brightness which indicates how much solar energy is reflected back into space. The broadband radiometer’s three different viewing angles capture the clouds from slightly different positions. This is apparent in the position of the cloud shadows relative to the clouds: they seem to be north of the cloud for the forward view, east for the down view, and south for the backward view. (Credit: ESA)

The initial images reveal the radiometer’s effectiveness in capturing detailed views of reflected and emitted radiation. For instance, the brightness in the forward view along EarthCARE’s orbital path across the western Mediterranean highlights the varying levels of solar energy reflection by different surfaces, such as clouds and the sea. The combination of EarthCARE’s instruments, including the cloud profiling radar, atmospheric lidar, and multispectral imager, is expected to significantly enhance climate science and weather prediction capabilities.

China’s Next Step in Planetary Defense is a Dual Spacecraft Mission to Deflect and Study Asteroid

China is advancing its planetary defense capabilities with an ambitious mission targeting the near-Earth asteroid 2015 XF261. This mission, spearheaded by the China National Space Administration (CNSA), aims to both impact and observe the asteroid, which is approximately 30m or 98ft in diameter, providing critical data on asteroid deflection and the composition of these celestial bodies.

The position of asteroid 2015 XF261 on July 13, 2024 as imaged by the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope. (Credit: JPL Small Body Database Browser/Lagrangian)

According to the Journal of Deep Space Exploration (JDSE), the mission involves two spacecraft: one to collide with the asteroid and another to monitor the event. This dual approach is designed to maximize the scientific return by combining impact and observation phases into a single mission. The observer spacecraft will first study the asteroid’s size, shape, composition, and orbit for several months before the impactor performs a high-speed kinetic energy test. Post-impact, the observer will continue to monitor the aftermath for up to a year.

This single-launch mission will combine NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) impact on Dimorphos, a moon of the asteroid Didymos, with ESA’s planned Hera mission, which will conduct follow-up observations of the same binary system. With China’s interest in planetary defense growing significantly CNSA plans to launch the mission before 2030, with potential windows in 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030, depending on the asteroid’s orbit and the readiness of the spacecraft.

In A Major Step Towards Building the World’s Largest Radio Telescope Array, SKAO Assembles First SKA-Mid Dish in South Africa

The Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) has achieved a significant milestone with the assembly of the first SKA-Mid telescope dish in South Africa’s Northern Cape province on July 4, 2024. This event marks a crucial step in the construction of the world’s largest radio telescope array, which aims to explore the universe in unprecedented detail by covering a wide range of radio frequencies.

The first SKA-Mid dish, a 15-m-wide main reflector in South Africa. (Credit: SKAO)

The SKA project, headquartered in the UK, is an international effort to build the world’s most powerful radio telescopes, with SKA-Mid located in South Africa and SKA-Low in Australia. The first SKA-Low telescope antennas were deployed in Australia, earlier in March. These arrays will work together to provide insights into the formation of the first stars and galaxies, the role of cosmic magnetism, and the nature of gravity. The SKA-Mid dish assembly was a collaboration between SKAO, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), and the China based CETC54, which is manufacturing the dishes.

This milestone is part of the first phase of SKA-Mid, known as Array Assembly 0.5, which will include four antennas for testing and review before full-scale production begins. The SKA-Mid array will eventually cover frequencies from 350 MHz to 15.4 GHz, with plans to extend this range to 24 GHz.

Berkeley’s SpaceCAL 3D Printer Achieves First Successful Microgravity Test on Virgin Galactic Mission

Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, have successfully tested a next-generation 3D printer, named SpaceCAL, in microgravity conditions. This milestone was achieved during the Virgin Galactic 07 mission on June 8, 2024. The SpaceCAL printer, which uses Computed Axial Lithography (CAL) technology, autonomously printed and post-processed four test parts, including space shuttle models and benchmark figurines, within a 140-second suborbital flight.

The CAL technology, developed by Berkeley researchers in 2017 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), uses light to shape solid objects from a viscous liquid, significantly expanding the range of printable geometries and increasing the speed of 3D printing. This technology's successful performance in microgravity conditions opens new possibilities for manufacturing in space, potentially allowing astronauts to fabricate essential parts and tools on-demand during long-duration missions.

You can reduce that upmass, make these missions go faster and reduce risk by bringing manufacturing technologies with you.

With CAL, we were able to demonstrate — first on those zero-G[ravity] missions and now on this spaceflight — that we can print parts in microgravity that are not possible on Earth.

Taylor Waddell, Ph.D. student.

SpaceCAL team members at Virgin Galactic launch site (left to right): Sean Chu, Jake Nickel, Austin Portinause, Taylor Waddell and Brian Chung. (Credit: Virgin Galactic)

Led by Ph.D. student Taylor Waddell, the Berkeley team aims to develop technology for producing medical supplies and sophisticated parts, like human organs, for space crews. Supported by NASA's $1.4 million grant, CAL has successfully printed with over 60 materials, including silicones and biomaterials. Waddell notes this versatility benefits both the cabin and crew.

Webb Telescope Captures Stunning, Duplicated Quasar Through Gravitational Lensing

The James Webb Space Telescope captured the quasar RX J1131-1231, about six billion light-years away in the constellation Crater. The foreground galaxy’s gravitational lensing, a phenomenon first predicted by Einstein, distorts the quasar into four distinct images, making it one of the best-lensed quasars discovered. Another galaxy, distorted by the gravitational lensing is seen as the dim ring. (Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Nierenberg)

A quasar is an extremely bright and energetic active galactic nucleus (AGN), powered by a supermassive black hole, with a mass that can range from millions to tens of billions of solar masses, and is surrounded by a gaseous accretion disc. As gas falls into the black hole, it heats up and emits vast amounts of electromagnetic radiation.

This illustration shows a distant quasar's light being altered by a massive foreground galaxy's powerful gravity, warping and magnifying the quasar's light, producing four distorted images of the quasar, similar to what was captured by JWST for RX J1131-1231. (Credit: NASA, ESA, and D. Player (STScI))

Annotated version of JWST’s image of the gravitational lensing. (Credit: Lagrangian)

This quasar, appearing as a sparkling jeweled ring, is the result of a cosmic phenomenon known as gravitational lensing. The powerful gravitational field of a nearby elliptical galaxy warps the light from the quasar, creating a bright arc and duplicate views of the object. This effect allows astronomers to study regions close to the black hole part of distant quasars, providing insights into black hole growth and behavior.

The elliptical galaxy in the JWST image acts as a natural telescope, magnifying the light from the distant quasar. Observations indicate that the black hole in this quasar is spinning at over half the speed of light, suggesting it has grown through mergers rather than pulling material from different directions. This discovery offers valuable clues about the evolution of black holes and their growth mechanisms.

The new image was taken using JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) as part of a larger study on dark matter and its distribution in the universe. RX J1131-1231 is now considered one of the best-lensed quasars discovered to date, thanks to these recent observations and previous views from other telescopes.

ESA Green-lights EO AFRICA Phase 2 to Boost Earth Observation for Water and Food Security in Africa

The European Space Agency (ESA) has granted a three-year extension to the Earth Observation Africa Research and Development (EO AFRICA R&D) Facility Consortium, following the successful evaluation of its first phase (2021-2024). This extension, covering 2024 to 2027, aims to enhance Earth Observation (EO) capabilities across Africa through African-European collaboration.

The Consortium will focus on two critical themes: water scarcity and food security. Additionally, it will address various challenges facing African EO research by issuing calls for research and providing modern cloud computing and digital tools. The initiative seeks to foster an active research community and drive innovative processes, ultimately promoting sustainable development and resilience in Africa. This extension marks a significant step towards leveraging EO technology to tackle pressing environmental and socio-economic issues on the continent.

Series of Launch Challenges for Global Space Industry: iSpace’s Hyperbola-1 Rocket Fails Amidst SpaceX, Ariane6 Setbacks

The Chinese private space company iSpace experienced its fourth failure, with the Hyperbola-1 rocket on July 10. The rocket, launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, failed during its fourth stage, despite the first three stages performing normally. This marks iSpace’s success rate at less than 50%, with only three successful missions out of seven attempts since its debut in 2019.

The past few weeks have been challenging for the space industry. On June 30, Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 rocket accidentally launched during a static fire test. Additionally, Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket had a mostly successful debut on July 9, but failed to complete one of its final engine burns, resulting in the loss of two experimental Earth-reentry capsules.

In a separate incident, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket failed, for the first time in nearly a decade, after a delayed Starlink satellite launch on July 11, leading to the loss of all 20 satellites on board. 13 of these satellites were meant to provide direct service to cellphones, enhancing the existing fleet of over 100 spacecraft within the 6,000-strong Starlink constellation that possess this capability.

Meanwhile, Boeing's Starliner capsule, currently on its first crewed mission, has been in orbit for over a month without a set return date due to helium leaks and thruster issues. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are performing maintenance and science experiments on the ISS while continuing to check Starliner's systems. Engineers are meticulously analyzing data and replicating thruster issues to ensure a safe return. The earliest possible return is by the end of July, but it could be as late as mid-August.

 

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

 

Solving the Hubble Tension: New Insights from Black Hole Event Horizons

Recent research by theoretical physicist Nikodem Poplawski from the University of New Haven suggests that the rate of expansion of the universe is constant at the event horizons of black holes, but this does not cause the black holes themselves to grow. This idea could help address the "Hubble tension," a longstanding problem in cosmology arising from differing estimations of the universe's expansion rate.

The Hubble tension refers to the discrepancy between two different measurements of the universe's expansion rate, known as the Hubble constant. One measurement comes from observing the early universe, while the other comes from observing the current universe. Despite using precise methods, these measurements don't agree, suggesting there might be unknown factors affecting our understanding of the universe's expansion.

Poplawski's theory posits that while space around black holes expands, the event horizons remain unchanged. This challenges previous notions that black holes might grow without matter accretion due to universal expansion. The research also implies that dark energy, the mysterious force driving the universe's accelerated expansion, behaves uniquely at black hole boundaries.

This hypothesis could explain why different parts of the universe expand at varying rates, potentially resolving discrepancies in the Hubble constant. However, verifying this theory observationally remains challenging due to the nature of black holes and the limitations of current astronomical methods.

The pre-peer reviewed research paper titled 'Black Holes in the Expanding Universe,' is featured here.

Simulating Solar Storms: The Ozone Crisis and UV Radiation Risks

A recent study has revealed that extreme solar particle events, which occur approximately once every thousand years, can have devastating effects on Earth’s ozone layer. These events, characterized by intense blasts of protons from the sun, can significantly deplete the ozone layer, leading to increased levels of harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation reaching the Earth’s surface. This heightened UV exposure can cause severe DNA damage, posing a threat to both human health and agricultural productivity.

Rendering showing the flapping tail of Earth’s magnetosphere (dark region) shielding Earth against solar wind radiation (yellow-orange). (Credit: Emmanuel Masongsong/UCLA)

The study utilized large-scale computer models to simulate the impacts of such an event, demonstrating that the depletion of the ozone layer could last for several years. The researchers also highlighted that during periods when Earth’s magnetic field is weak, the effects of these solar particle events could be even more pronounced, further exacerbating the damage to the ozone layer.

The findings of the study were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

2,500-Year-Old Earthquake Rerouted Ganges River, a New Study Reveals

A new research has uncovered that a massive earthquake approximately 2,500 years ago may have dramatically altered the course of the Ganga (Ganges) River. This seismic event, estimated to have a magnitude of 7.5 or 8, caused the river to shift its path significantly, despite the epicenter being over 180 kilometers away from the affected area. The study highlights how such powerful earthquakes can induce rapid river course changes, known as avulsions, which typically occur over much longer periods due to sediment accumulation.

The research team, led by geophysicist Elizabeth Chamberlain from Wageningen University, identified evidence of this ancient earthquake through satellite imagery and fieldwork in the Ganges Delta. They discovered a crescent-shaped depression and seismites—vertical bands of sand formed by seismic activity—indicating the river’s previous channel. This finding is significant as it provides a rare example of an earthquake-driven avulsion in a major river delta, a phenomenon not previously confirmed for such large rivers.

A satellite image of the Ganges Delta, the largest river delta in the world. The dark part of the delta is the Sundarbans, a vast wildlife preserve and mangrove swamp. (Credit: NASA/JPL/UCSD/JSC)

This study's implications go beyond historical interest, an understanding past seismic events' impact on major waterways can inform current risk assessments for densely populated regions like the Ganges Delta, which is still vulnerable to significant seismic activity. Modern shifts in river courses due to similar earthquakes could severely flood millions in these areas.

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