All articles tagged with #dust particles
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered tiny dust particles traveling far beyond their galaxy, surviving harsh conditions in the circumgalactic medium, revealing new insights into galaxy evolution and matter recycling through a proposed 'cloud-wind mixing' mechanism.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience suggests that fine dust created by the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs played a significant role in the mass extinction event. The dust blocked the sun, preventing photosynthesis and causing a collapse in the food web for almost two years. Scientists developed a computer model based on sediment samples from the Tanis fossil site and determined that the dust could have remained in the atmosphere for up to 15 years, cooling the global climate by as much as 15 degrees Celsius. This research provides new insights into the mechanisms behind the extinction event.
A University of Utah-led study explored the potential of using dust to shield sunlight and mitigate the effects of global warming. The authors found that launching dust from Earth to a way station at the “Lagrange Point” between Earth and the sun (L1) would be most effective but would require astronomical cost and effort. An alternative is to use moondust, which could be a cheap and effective way to shade the Earth. The team of astronomers applied a technique used to study planet formation around distant stars to discover that lunar dust was just right to effectively work as a sun shield.