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In September 2023, a colossal landslide in Greenland’s Dickson Fjord unleashed a 650-foot (200-metre) high mega-tsunami, causing the Earth to vibrate every 90 seconds for nine consecutive days. This unprecedented seismic event puzzled scientists until recent satellite data provided clarity. 

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite, equipped with advanced radar technology, detected the persistent oscillations-known as seiches-within the fjord. These seiches resulted from approximately 25 million cubic meters of rock and ice crashing into the fjord, a consequence of glacier melting due to climate change.The findings were published Tuesday (June 3) in the journal Nature Communications. The fjord’s unique geography trapped the tsunami’s energy, preventing it from dissipating quickly. This event has highlighted the profound and far-reaching impacts of global warming, triggering the need for vigilant monitoring of vulnerable regions.

Also Read | When Earth Shook For 9 Days After Rockslide Triggered 650-Foot Tsunami

To prove their theory, the researchers linked these observations to small movements of the Earth’s crust measured thousands of kilometres away. This connection enabled them to reconstruct the characteristics of the wave, even for periods that the satellite did not observe. The researchers also reconstructed weather and tidal conditions to confirm that the observations could not have been caused by winds or tides.

Lead author Thomas Monahan (DPhil student, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford) said in a statement, “Climate change is giving rise to new, unseen extremes. These extremes are changing the fastest in remote areas, such as the Arctic, where our ability to measure them using physical sensors is limited. This study shows how we can leverage the next generation of satellite earth observation technologies to study these processes.”

“SWOT is a game changer for studying oceanic processes in regions such as fjords, which previous satellites struggled to see into.”

Co-author Professor Thomas Adcock (Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford) said, “This study is an example of how the next generation of satellite data can resolve phenomena that have remained a mystery in the past. We will be able to get new insights into ocean extremes such as tsunamis, storm surges, and freak waves. However, to get the most out of these data, we will need to innovate and useCo-author Professor Thomas Adcock (Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford) said, “This study is an example of how the next generation of satellite data can resolve phenomena that have remained a mystery in the past. We will be able to get new insights into ocean extremes such as tsunamis, storm surges, and freak waves. However, to get the most out of these data, we will need to innovate and use both machine learning and our knowledge of ocean physics to interpret our new results.”

 

Chen Xie, an assistant research scientist at JHU and the study’s lead author, said in a recent NASA press release, “Webb unambiguously detected not just water ice, but crystalline water ice, which is also found in locations like Saturn’s rings and icy bodies in our Solar System’s Kuiper Belt. The presence of water ice helps facilitate planet formation. Icy materials may also ultimately be ‘delivered’ to terrestrial planets that may form over a couple of hundred million years in systems like this.”

Using the James Webb Space Telescope’s near-infrared spectrograph (NIRSpec), researchers detected water ice in the debris disk surrounding HD 181327. The water ice was predominantly found in the outer debris ring, making up over 20% of its mass, in the form of “dirty snowballs”,  a combination of ice and fine dust particles.

The amount of water ice decreased closer to the star, with only 8% of the material consisting of ice halfway in from the disk’s edge, and virtually none near the centre. This decrease is likely due to vaporisation from the star’s ultraviolet radiation or potentially locked up in rocks and planetesimals.When I was a graduate student 25 years ago, my advisor told me there should be ice in debris disks, but before Webb, we didn’t have instruments sensitive enough to make these observations. What’s most striking is that this data looks similar to the telescope’s other recent observations of Kuiper Belt objects in our own Solar System,” said Christine Chen, an associate astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and co-author on the study.

Analysing these actively forming planetary systems will enhance our understanding of planet formation models and provide fresh insights into the origins of our own Solar System. When I was a graduate student 25 years ago, my advisor told me there should be ice in debris disks, but before Webb, we didn’t have instruments sensitive enough to make these observations. What’s most striking is that this data looks similar to the telescope’s other recent observations of Kuiper Belt objects in our own Solar System,” said Christine Chen, an associate astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and co-author on the study.

Analysing these actively forming planetary systems will enhance our understanding of planet formation models and provide fresh insights into the origins of our own Solar System. 

This finding has opened up new avenues for understanding the early universe and the origins of water on our planetFor decades, scientists have been fascinated by the mystery of how life originated on Earth and where our water came from. One long-standing theory suggests that water was present around our star, particularly in the outer reaches of the solar system in its early days. Recently, NASA researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope made a groundbreaking discovery that lends credence to this theory. They’ve found water ice in the debris disk that orbits HD 181327, a Sun-like star 155 light-years from Earth.

According to Science Alert, the star system, just 23 million years old, is significantly younger than our 4.6-billion-year-old Solar System. This youthful system is still in its formative stages, with a protoplanetary disk surrounding the star that hasn’t yet coalesced into planets.For decades, scientists have been fascinated by the mystery of how life originated on Earth and where our water came from. One long-standing theory suggests that water was present around our star, particularly in the outer reaches of the solar system in its early days. Recently, NASA researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope made a groundbreaking discovery that lends credence to this theory. They’ve found water ice in the debris disk that orbits HD 181327, a Sun-like star 155 light-years from Earth.

According to Science Alert, the star system, just 23 million years old, is significantly younger than our 4.6-billion-year-old Solar System. This youthful system is still in its formative stages, with a protoplanetary disk surrounding the star that hasn’t yet coalesced into planets.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope’s near-infrared spectrograph (NIRSpec), researchers detected water ice in the debris disk surrounding HD 181327. The water ice was predominantly found in the outer debris ring, making up over 20% of its mass, in the form of “dirty snowballs”,  a combination of ice and fine dust particles.

The amount of water ice decreased closer to the star, with only 8% of the material consisting of ice halfway in from the disk’s edge, and virtually none near the centre. This decrease is likely due to vaporisation from the star’s ultraviolet radiation or potentially locked up in rocks and planetesimals.

“When I was a graduate student 25 years ago, my advisor told me there should be ice in debris disks, but before Webb, we didn’t have instruments sensitive enough to make these observations. What’s most striking is that this data looks similar to the telescope’s other recent observations of Kuiper Belt objects in our own Solar System,” said Christine Chen, an associate astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and co-author on the study.

Analysing these actively forming planetary systems will enhance our understanding of planet formation models and provide fresh insights into the origins of our own Solar System. 

A massive asteroid, expected to be larger than San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, will pass close to Earth on June 5. Measuring between 1,017 and 2,264 feet, it is bigger than 97 per cent of asteroids and is among the top 3 per cent by size.

According to scientists, Asteroid 424482 (2008 DG5) is estimated to come to around 3.49 million kilometres of earth but does not pose any threat. It will safely pass by without causing any damage, Forbes reported.

The reason the asteroid doesn’t pose any threat to the Earth is that it is about nine times farther away than the Moon, which normally orbits Earth at around 3.84 kilometres. 

However, NASA has referred to the 2008 DG5 as a potentially hazardous object for two characteristics: distance and size. NASA said that any object, larger than about 500 meters, which comes within 7.5 kilometres of Earth could collide with our planet.As of now, there is no threat from 2008 DG5 to Earth but if an asteroid of this size hits, it can cause serious regional damage. It could create strong shockwaves and even tsunamis if it hit water. For example, in 2008, a Tunguska Event happened when a smaller asteroid of about 130 ft exploded in the air over Siberia, causing massive fires and destroying 80 million trees.

Other than this, the Chicxulub asteroid, believed to have contributed to the extinction of the dinosaur, was six to ten miles (10 to 15 kilometres) wide.

2008 DG5 is an Apollo asteroid, meaning it passes through Earth’s orbit. It was spotted in 2008 by the Catalina Sky Survey, a component of NASA’s Near Earth Object Observation Program, near Tucson, Arizona. It completes one round around the sun every 514 Earth days. It will come close to Earth again in the year 2032.Earlier, NASA reported that asteroid 2024 YR4, about the size of the Statue of Liberty, might cause damage to the Earth. It has the potential to release energy 100 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb if it hits Earth.

As India prepares to send its second astronaut into space, the spotlight turns to Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, call sign “Shux,” who is set to fly aboard the Axiom 4 mission. Among those who have trained with him is the first Emirati astronaut Hazzaa AlMansoori, who shared his insights on Mr Shukla’s readiness and the camaraderie they built during their time together in Houston.

“It was a great pleasure to work with him,” said AlMansoori. “We worked together on his preparation for his mission. Shux was in his training. During preparation, we had the opportunity to get together and talk about his mission and preparation. He was a great guy. Down to earth, he’s going to be the pilot for the Dragon vehicle.”

AlMansoori, himself a fighter pilot like Shukla, emphasised the seriousness of the role and the confidence he has in the Indian astronaut. “It’s a great privilege for him and a great responsibility. I have no doubt, he can do it. He’s going to represent India in a great way and a very professional way.”

Their training included simulations of high-risk scenarios aboard the International Space Station.

“We simulated different scenarios. In our training, we have this situation where we got like fire, God forbid, or like depressurization, or like we call it, toxic gases just inside the station. So we have to work as a group. And I saw that Shukla was really prepared and ready for the scenarios. We worked together on how to recover our space station and also how we can go to our vehicles and be safe there.”

Asked if Shukla would make a good astronaut, AlMansoori responded without hesitation: “Definitely. I have no doubt about it. He is really professional and ready for his flight.”

He also had a personal message for Shukla as he prepared for his journey to the International Space Station.”Shux, just enjoy your experience aboard the space station. A very, very small group of people get this opportunity to float in space and to experience this feeling. So enjoy it. Make sure to capture a lot of photos for yourself, for your family, and for the whole world, because they’re going to look up to you from the ground here. And also, I wish you a happy landing.”

AlMansoori extended an invitation to Shukla to visit the UAE after his mission. “Usually, after the human spaceflight, we are also keen in the UAE to invite astronauts who returned from space and to share the experience with everyone, especially schools and universities. So it is a great thing to share with everyone.”On the safety of the mission, AlMansoori reassured Indian viewers: “Falcon 9 is a great vehicle. It has proven that it’s very safe. God forbid, nothing’s going to happen. You’re going to be in really safe hands. Very professional team at SpaceX.”

And to those in India who may be anxious about the mission, he offered a heartfelt message: “Wish him all the luck and pray for him. And I have no doubt, guys, you’re going to enjoy the pictures, the experience that you will see in his eyes, and the things that you will see after his flight. So enjoy every moment of his mission, because you are part of it.”

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