Daily Archives: March 16, 2024

A WORK IN PROGRESS | News | shelbynews.com – Shelbynews

Posted: March 16, 2024 at 10:13 am

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U.S. Inability To Address Nuclear Waste Harms Environmental Progress – Newsweek

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If you need your garbage collected, you call Waste Management. But if you're a nuclear power plant operator, don't bother calling the federal governmentin 40 years they still haven't made a pickup.

In 1982, Congress passed the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA), which directed the Department of Energy to site, build, and operate a repository for the disposal of high-level waste and spent nuclear fuel. Since that time, political paralysis has prevented the government from creating a storage site, which has left spent fuel in communities that did not consent to its presence and were promised its removal. Overcoming this decades-long failure is critical to reviving nuclear power and achieving climate goals without unfairly burdening local populations or taxpayers.

The federal government's inability to fulfill its legal obligation has not stopped the private sector from safely managing spent nuclear fuel. For over 30 years power plant operators have stored spent fuel with zero incidents of radioactive leakage or death. Since the 1950s, the U.S. has generated a little over 90,000 metric tons of waste, which would be easy to permanently store and manage. If it were all stacked up, it would fit on a single football field at a depth of less than 10 yards.

While the industry's safety in the handling of spent fuel is commendable, the status quo is not sustainable for taxpayers or the environment.

The Department of Energy still holds the obligation to collect and dispose of the nation's spent fuel. But with no national storage facility available, the federal government currently pays power plant operators to store spent fuel on-site. Taxpayers have been left to pick up the tab, spending $2 million per day and nearly $9 billion total since 1998. If left unaddressed, this figure will rise to an estimated $30 billion by 2030.

America's inability to implement a feasible waste solution has also come at a cost to the environment. Eleven statesincluding California, New York, and New Jerseyhave imposed moratoriums on new nuclear power until a repository is completed. Instead of building out a fleet of reliable, carbon-free nuclear energy, these states have placed their hopes on renewables, which need baseload natural gas to survive.

Finding a solution to this challenge will require political willpower, community engagement, and innovative thinking.

Many of the answers have been outlined already in the 2012 Blue Ribbon Commission's report, which includes eight high-level recommendations to address spent fuel storage in the U.S. To date, the Department of Energy has begun to implement only one of those recommendationsstarting the process of developing a consent-based siting process for an interim storage facility for spent fuel in 2021.

However, under the current structure of the NWPA, the Department of Energy is not legally authorized to build an interim storage facility. While the original NWPA mandated and described a process to select a location for a repository, subsequent amendments have limited the scope to a single site, Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The law now functionally excludes consideration of any other sites or storage methods.

Congress should reform the law to give the Department of Energy the flexibility to site permanent and temporary storage facilities as it sees fit. Importantly, funding for the construction of these sites already exists through the Nuclear Waste Fund, which has over $44.3 billion collected to be spent on a nuclear waste disposal facility.

Reducing restrictions to a consent-based process is in the best economic and environmental interest of the United States. As has happened in the case of Yucca Mountain, a lack of community buy-in increases costs and delays projects. However, when stakeholders are engaged, approval for the nuclear industry greatly improves. In fact, the communities most supportive of nuclear power are the ones that have the technology in their vicinity.

Congress also should continue to fund R&D programs like the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Project, which is working to deploy a sodium-cooled fast reactor that effectively runs on spent nuclear fuel at the site of a retiring coal plant in Kemmerer, Wyoming. If this project is successful, it could provide a solution to address America's spent fuel challenges.

It has been over 40 years since Congress first set out to establish a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel in the United States. Its failure to do so has cost taxpayers and the environment dearly, but solutions remain. By reforming the broken NWPA, engaging with communities, and investing in innovation, the U.S. can more efficiently handle its spent fuel and address one of the biggest roadblocks to unleashing a nuclear energy revolution.

Jeff Luse is a policy analyst at Generation Atomic.

The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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Solar Eclipse Path Map Shows States Where Sun Will Be Blocked Out – Newsweek

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A rare total solar eclipse will take place next month and will be the last chance for Americans to view the natural phenomena for two decades, astronomy experts have said.

A total eclipse will be experienced by millions of Americans on April 8 this yeara rare astronomical event in which the skies briefly turn dark during daylight hours. Next month's eclipse is a rare event, with the last one taking place over the U.S. in 2017.

"You definitely want to be looking at the sky on April 8th because if you miss the solar eclipse this year, you have to wait two decades until the next chance to see a total solar eclipse from the contiguous United States," Brian Lada, AccuWeather astronomy expert, told Newsweek.

"Total solar eclipses themselves are not rare. They happen every year somewhere around the world. What is rare is to have them visible here in the United States."

Total eclipses occur once every other year somewhere on the planet, but for each individual community, they occur once every few centuries with some exceptions, Lada explained.

According to Jonathan Belles, digital meteorologist for The Weather Channel, a solar eclipse takes place when the moon's orbit "takes it into the same plane as the sun, blocking out the sun."

There are numerous things to look out for - aside from the skies turning dark in the middle of the day - during a solar eclipse. Belles told Newsweek: "During a total solar eclipse, you can see explosions of matter being launched from the sun on some occasions. You'll likely see some eerie shadows in the form of eclipsed discs or even slithering snakes on the ground under trees and other objects. You might see bats and birds head out for food thinking that the sunset has arrived."

"If you look at the horizon, you may see thin clouds of ice that are usually invisible to the naked eye. You may also see clouds shrink over land or grow over the ocean. In elevated locations, you might also be able to tell where the sun is still shining."

According to Lada, those wishing to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon will need to be "in a narrow area called the path of totality", stretching from Texas all the way to Maine in the northeast.

A NASA map shows the full trajectory of the eclipse across the states, including times it will occur on April 8. Starting in Texas at around 1:30 p.m. CDT, the eclipse will occur in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and finally in Maine at 3:30 p.m. EDT. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan may also experience the total solar eclipse.

"Everywhere outside of the path of totality will only experience a partial solar eclipse, of course, as long as it's not cloudy," Lada told Newsweek.

If you're planning to look skyward to see the event, you need to be prepared. NASA advises using the correct equipment to prevent causing serious damage to your eyes.

"When watching the partial phases of the solar eclipse directly with your eyes, which happens before and after totality, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses ("eclipse glasses") or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times," NASA explains. You can also use an indirect viewing method, such as a pinhole projector."

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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Park Progress – Greater Wilmington Business Journal

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Pender County is seeing its Field of Dreams endeavor bear fruit, as Pender Commerce Park grows and thrives.

The planning began in the early 2000s when the county wanted to create an economic driver on its largely rural west side. Officials teamed up with Wilmington Business Development to focus on developing about 400 county-owned acres along U.S. 421, just north of the New Hanover County line.

In 2013 we took the property through the Duke Site Readiness Program and the first tenant, Acme Smoked Fish, was recruited shortly after, said Scott Satterfield, CEO of WBD. Acme has since been joined by Berkshire Hathaway-owned Empire Distributors, FedEx Freight, Coastal Beverage and the first foreign direct investment in the park Polyhose a manufacturer and distributor of hydraulic hose out of Chennai, India. (Read more about Polyhoses products in this months MADE feature here).

To accommodate Acme and other future tenants, Pender County built water and wastewater treatment plants on site. Piedmont Natural Gas ran its pipes into the park. In 2015, AT&T announced the installation of fiber optic cable to bring high-speed internet to the parks future tenants. Pender Commerce Park was the first business park in North Carolina to receive the designation of AT&T Fiber Ready.

The park welcomed Brooklyn, New York-based Acme Smoked Fish in early 2015. Six months later, the company was poised to hit its five-year job target as it increased its capacity more quickly than anticipated.

Acme is not the only park tenant that has grown.

This location and space helped us [achieve] our aggressive growth plan, said Brian Rector, chief financial officer of Coastal Beverage Co., which moved to Pender Commerce Park about five years ago from its location on Harley Street, off Market Street in Wilmington.

Unable to add all the space it needed at the Harley Street facility, the beer, wine and soft drink distributor worked with Will Leonard, of Cape Fear Commercial, to scout alternatives. After looking at a few possibilities, Rector said his team quickly understood that [the park] was the location for us.

We could build almost twice the size warehouse, which allowed us to maintain good inventory levels and to continue to see strong organic growth, Rector continued. Our brands continue to do well. Weve definitely seen some organic growth with the increase in [the regions] population, and we are always looking for new brands that fit Coastal Beverages plans.

We also acquired Atlantic Shores Distributors the same year we moved out here; we picked up their brands and service territory, Rector added. Theres quick access from here to several interstates.

Fellow beverage company Empire Distributors had found a home at the commerce park a couple of years before Coastal Beverage began building its new facility. Other companies have followed.

Joining those tenants in the park in recent years has been Chris Ramm, of Ramm Capital Partners/Taylor Development, Satterfield said. As part of a product development initiative, Ramm has worked with WBD and Pender County to stand up more than 250,000 square feet of speculative space in multiple buildings, which has since been leased to quality tenants including Colony Tire, Professional Builders Supply, Superior Pool Products, Lansing Building Products and The Home Depot. Our brokerage partner was Cape Fear Commercial.

The largest-scale project, to date, in the park is a 300,000 square-foot cold storage facility recently developed by RL Cold and leased to the largest transportation company in the world, Maersk, Satterfield added.

The facility is operated by Maersk subsidiary Performance Team.

Another tenant, Polyhose Inc., recently announced plans to double the size of its current plant. Polyhose officials also committed to an additional 8 acres at the park, citing more opportunities coming our way, as the company establishes its North American presence. Polyhose, whose U.S. unit supplies hoses to automotive and construction equipment manufacturers worldwide, expects the new phase to be complete in the first quarter of 2025.

The proof has certainly been in the pudding as far as our association with Wilmington and the local community is concerned, Fatema Mo, Polyhoses vice president of marketing and human resources, said in the announcement. We hope our association continues to get stronger and we are able to look at different ways in which we can contribute to the community and grow together.

Success stories like this help balance the reality that some prospects will get away.

A major disappointment to Pender and WBD officials was Amazons decision to abandon plans for a 1,000-job distribution center at the commerce park. But, said Satterfield, the company hasnt taken all its marbles and gone away.

Amazon has a holding in the park with plans to bring a final-mile delivery station to the market, he said, adding that Amazon owns Lots 6 and 7. Each deal in the park has been complex in nature but created significant jobs and tax base for the entire region.

A remaining asset ripe for redevelopment is the former BASF site which the larger proposed Amazon project was tied to that straddles New Hanover and Pender counties adjacent to the commerce park.

The southern/brownfield parcel more than 150 acres represents a tremendous economic development opportunity for end users considering greater Wilmington for expansion or relocation, Satterfield said. The site is high and dry with good sandy soils, sits along a four-lane highway, and is less than 15 minutes from downtown Wilmington, ILM and the Port of Wilmington.

Two years ago, the Golden LEAF Foundation gave Pender County a grant of $500,000 to clear and clean up the brownfield site. Satterfield has said WBD is bullish on the sites potential.

When WBD staffers pitch Pender Commerce Park to potential tenants, what attributes do they emphasize? Satterfield ticked off a few.

Location proximity to Wilmingtons assets and amenities, infrastructure and competitive cost are amongst the key advantages associated with the Pender Commerce Park, he said. Every client is unique; thus, the attractive attributes rank different for each respective client. With that said, this is widely recognized as one of the best industrial positions in the market and is the model for us with other business parks being developed in neighboring counties.

We knew the park was going to be successful, and we all know each other pretty well, Rector said. We continue to plan and hope for the growth of 421. From downtown Wilmington up to the park, things continue to build up.

Satterfield said that, although decades in the making, the Pender Commerce Park is delivering as officials hoped.

The Pender Commerce Park has become the premier business park in Southeastern North Carolina with over 1,000 jobs, more than 1 million square feet of industrial space under roof and more than $500 million in capital expenditure investment represented at the park, he said. The foresight and proactive investment by Pender County in land and infrastructure has led to this string of results and helped to drive activity up and down Wilmingtons most prominent industrial corridor.

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Deep-space astronomy sensor peers into the heart of an atom – Space.com

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Scientists have taken an instrument originally designed to study huge celestial objects in the cosmos and repurposed it to investigate the world on an infinitely smaller scale. With this instrument, they managed to probe the heart of the atom.

The team wanted to understand quantum-scale changes that occur within unstable atoms, and realized there's a state-of-the-art gamma-ray polarimeter they could tap into. This device, known as a Compton camera, can measure the polarization of high-energy light waves. In other words, it can dissect what direction such high-energy light is orientated toward.

The only thing is, however, that this instrument was technically built for deep-space astronomy, not atomic investigations. In fact, scientists constructed it because they wanted to place it on the Hitomi satellite to make observations of high-energy cosmic processes. Yet, the camera has now proven its versatility. By capturing the polarization of gamma rays emitted from atomic nuclei rather than faraway galactic objects, it managed to reveal the internal structure of the atomic nucleus as well as any changes such nuclei may be undergoing.

Related: Atomic clocks on Earth could reveal secrets about dark matter across the universe

Compton cameras are used to determine the direction and energy of gamma rays using a phenomenon called "Compton scattering."

Compton scattering happens when a high-energy particle of light, or "photon," bounces off a charged particle, usually an electron. This interaction forces the photons hitting the electrons to "scatter," meaning they transfer some of their energy and momentum to the particles they've just hit. In turn, those electrons can recoil and essentially pop off the atom they were previously attached to. This process can help reveal something about the atom that's involved.

"The research team demonstrated that this Compton camera serves as an effective polarimeter for nuclear spectroscopy, revealing insights into the nuclear structure," Tadayuki Takahashi, researcher leader and Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe scientist, told Space.com. "Developed initially for space observations, this instrument has now proven its worth as a tool for addressing complex scientific questions in other domains as well."

You can think of atoms as composed of "shells." Each shell is filled with varying portions of negatively charged electrons "buzzing" around; the outermost shell is known as the valence shell and the electrons within the valence shell are called valence electrons. These atomic shells surround a central nucleus comprised of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons.

The number of protons in an atomic nucleus defines what element that atom represents.

For instance, hydrogen is the universe's lightest element, and it always has one proton in its atomic nucleus. At the other end of the periodic table is uranium, one of the heaviest natural elements, which always has 92 protons in its nucleus. The number of neutrons in a nucleus doesn't define what element an atom is, so it can vary. For instance, hydrogen can have no neutrons, one neutron in the case of deuterium, or two neutrons in the case of tritium. These atoms varying in weight, however, are called "isotopes." Some isotopes are stable others are not.

While 270 stable atomic nuclei are known to exist in nature, the number of known isotopes of elements jumps up to 3,000 when unstable atomic nuclei are factored in.

Interestingly, scientists have also recently observed phenomena associated with unstable atomic nuclei that aren't seen around stable ones. These include anomalies in the electron energy levels as well as the disappearance and emergence of so-called "magic numbers." Magic numbers refer to the amount of electrons it would take to fill those energy-level shells around an atomic nucleus. Conventionally, these numbers are 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82 and 126.

Thus far, however, conventional methods have been insufficient in investigating changes in nuclear structure related to these phenomena. This is due to the difficulty of balancing sensitivity and detection efficiency for instruments analyzing the characteristics of transitions undertaken by atoms.

Here's lies the important part for the team's investigation.

An unstable atomic nucleus will attempt to reach stability by ejecting a proton or a neutron. This is known as radioactive decay, and it's a process that carries energy away from the atom in the form of photons. Gamma rays are a kind of photon and the Compton camera can detect those gamma rays! Perhaps understanding the transition between instability and stability can help decode some of those weird atomic phenomena scientists have observed.

So, these researchers believed the Compton camera, which includes something called a Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) semiconductor imaging sensor, could be ideal for measuring the polarization of gamma rays from unstable nuclei. Again, this is because such a sensor offers high-detection efficiency and precise accuracy when determining the position of gamma rays (even though it was initially meant for deep-space gamma-ray signals).

The polarization of photons from charged particles turns unpolarized light into polarized light, with the orientation of polarization arising as a result of the scattering angle. The Compton camera can precisely measure this scattering angle and the polarization of these gamma rays, which indicates properties of particles within the atom, such as the value of quantum mechanical characteristics called "spin" and "parity."

The scientists used accelerator experiments at the RIKEN research institute to perform a series of nuclear spectroscopy tests that involved blasting a film of iron nuclei with a beam of protons. This caused the electrons in the thin iron film to reach an excited state and emit gamma rays as they returned to their ground state. The team controlled both the position and intensity of these emissions artificially. This allowed for a detailed analysis of scattering events and the realization of a highly sensitive polarization measurement to test the capabilities of the Compton camera.

"The multi-layer CdTe Compton camera possesses several characteristics that make it well-suited for this research. First is the detection efficiency of CdTe," Takahashi said. "Typically, gamma rays emitted from nuclei have energies in the order of Mega-electron Volt (MeV), where the detection efficiency for gamma-ray polarimeters tends to be low. However, the 20 layers of CdTe significantly enhance the efficiency of detecting these gamma rays."

The Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe scientist added that the CdTe sensor developed by his group also achieves high-energy resolution for sub-MeV gamma rays.

"Lastly, it achieves a few millimeters of positional resolution within the detector's effective area, enabling it to 'see' detailed Compton scattering patterns," Takahashi added. "These patterns reflect the characteristics of the linear polarization of light, including gamma-rays."

The emitted gamma rays were measured, revealing a peak structure, and the team was able to determine the angle at which photons were scattered. The team expected their results could be crucial for investigating the structure of rare radioactive nuclei, but even the lead researcher was surprised by just how successful this test was.

"The research group, comprised of experts in astronomical observation and nuclear physics, anticipated to some extent that gamma-ray polarimetry would be feasible for nuclear gamma-ray spectroscopy experiments," Takahashi said. "However, the performance and results surpassed expectations."

These experiments could be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using space instruments to investigate atomic nuclei.

"There are various types of Compton cameras in astronomical observation, and they could be used similarly to measure the linear polarization of photons," Takahashi concluded.

The team's research is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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SF supervisor to hold hearing on homeless-shelter progress | Housing | sfexaminer.com – San Francisco Examiner

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Physics and Astronomy Colloquium – Professor Paul Cassak; Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia … – The University of Iowa

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Professor Paul Cassak; Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University

One of the most important processes across subdisciplines of physics is the conversion of energy. The first law of thermodynamics has been in place for over 170 years and often is the go to solution to explore energy conversion. Applying the first law is much easier to do when the system is in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE), but many modern physics systems are not in LTE. Examples abound, including from astronomy and cosmology, nuclear physics, and quantum entanglement. An especially prominent example is in plasma and space sciences, where high temperatures, low densities, and large constituent mass differences often reduce the effect of collisions that normally would drive them towards LTE. Plasmas accessibility to direct measurement in space and the laboratory makes them excellent settings for studying non-LTE processes. Often, the evolution of systems out of LTE is described using only a few fluid variables called moments, namely the density, momentum, and energy. However, for a system not in LTE, an infinite number of moments can be important, and the evolution of the other moments is typically not considered. In this talk, we discuss a recent result that combines all the other moments in a single variable (Cassak et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 130, 085201, 2023), namely the so-called relative entropy (Grad, J. Soc. Indust. Appl. Math., 13, 259, 1965). We derive an equation for its time evolution and argue its form complements or extends the first law of thermodynamics for systems not in LTE. We introduce a new quantity we call the higher order non-equilibrium terms (HORNET) which quantifies the rate system approaches or moves away from LTE (Barbhuiya et al., Phys. Rev. E, 109, 015205, 2024) with dimensions of power density, which is useful because it can be directly compared to standard power densities. We demonstrate the results in numerical simulations of various plasma processes. The results could have important applications in a wide array of systems that are out of LTE, both within and outside of physics.

Bio:Dr. Cassak received a Ph.D. in theoretical and computational plasma physics from the University of Maryland in 2006. He was a postdoc at the University of Delaware in 2007 and 2008. His research focuses on magnetic reconnection and its applications using analytical techniques, large scale numerical simulations, and observational data as appropriate.

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Physics and Astronomy Colloquium - Professor Paul Cassak; Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia ... - The University of Iowa

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United Nations prioritizes discussion of Dark and Quiet Skies – Astrobites

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Disclaimer: Beyond astro-ph articles are not necessarily intended to be representative of the views of the entire Astrobites collaboration, nor do they represent the views of the AAS or all astronomers. While AAS supports Astrobites, Astrobites is editorially independent and content that appears on Astrobites is not reviewed or approved by the AAS.

Astronomy on the Global Stage

How do you get 102 countries to agree on anything? And how do you enforce such an agreement? These are the types of questions at the heart of international law. Astronomy is a field that is inherently collaborative and often requires the combined efforts of astronomers from over the world, meaning regulating the issues affecting astronomy and space requires the cooperation of policy makers on an international scale. One of the most influential forums for international space law is the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

COPUOS was established to provide a forum of discussion and diplomacy between member states on how to govern the exploration and use of space. Earlier this year, one of the two subsidiary bodies of COPUOS, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee (STSC), met for its 61st session. COPUOS operates on the principle of consensus, meaning all 102 member states in the committee must agree for a motion to be adopted. Therefore the process of adopting a motion can take a long time, even years, as diplomats from different member states work on coming to a common understanding. This is why the recent addition of the item Dark and Quiet Skies, astronomy and large constellations: addressing emerging issues and challenges to the COPUOS agenda has been hailed as an important moment in the protection and preservation of the night sky. It shows that many countries agree that this is an important topic of discussion, and represents a step forward in establishing international policy to protect the night sky.

Dark and Quiet Skies

Dark and quiet skies refers to the prevention and reduction of light pollution and radio interference, an issue that has become increasingly important due to the exponential growth in the number of satellites in Low Earth Orbit since 2019. These constellations create streaking trails of light in images and can cause unintended signals that contaminate radio channels. The conference paper where this agenda item was proposed posits that while the increase of satellite constellations may provide some benefits, their large number, their sun-reflected luminosity and their radio-frequency emissions can have a serious impact on astronomical observations as well as on the pristine appearance of the night sky. The issues of Dark and Quiet Skies have been discussed at the STSC since its 57th session in 2020, with the delegations of Chile and Spain leading the effort in partnership with international organizations like the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the International Astronomers Union (IAU), and the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO).

The IAU has been an observer of COPUOS since 1995 and started a subsidiary body in 2022 to address the issue of dark and quiet skies, the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS). The mission of the CPS is to coordinate efforts on the issue of satellite constellation interference and connect astronomers, satellite companies, and policy makers. The IAU also has a Working Group on Astronomy on the Moon, started in 2023. This working group presented a conference paper to the same session of the STSC, detailing potential future problems related to astronomy on the Moon. The paper explains that cheaper launch to the Moon and the development of lunar infrastructure enable these opportunities, but many planned and potential activities are, in some instances, incompatible with the critical need for these scientific facilities to be free from noise and interference.

Astronomy on the Moon

Why such a focus on the Moon, a seemingly barren chunk of rock, far away from all our existing telescopes? Importantly, the Moon is tidally locked with the Earth, with one side constantly facing away from the Earth. This makes the far side of the Moon one of the most pristine locations in the Solar System for radio astronomy, since all the radio signals from Earth are blocked by the body of the Moon, reducing signal contamination. (Read this Astrobite to learn more about the terrestrial issues facing radio astronomers). The Moon also has no ionosphere, which normally blocks low frequency radio waves from getting through, as is the case with Earths ionosphere. The ultra-low frequency signals can be used to observe the earliest periods of the Universe, including the Cosmic Dark Age, a time before stars and galaxies formed. NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Chinese Academy of Science all have low frequency radio telescopes planned for the Moon.

The Moon also offers opportunities for continuous observations, again due to the tidal locking, allowing unprecedented monitoring of the atmospheres of exoplanets to search for biosignatures. The Moon could even be used to host gravitational wave experiments, since the Moon has much less seismic activity than the Earth, allowing for observations of the mergers of intermediate mass black holes or white dwarfs. Such an observatory would require limiting or regulating the amount of nearby activity on the Moon, including landings and mining. Private companies are already preparing and have sent mining and lander missions, some coordinated with public space agencies, to the Moon, so coordinating these efforts with scientific missions is crucial to preventing disruption of what could be amazing scientific opportunities.

This work on an international stage between member states, intergovernmental organizations, and astronomers indicates a strong step forward for regulating the mega-constellation of satellites and ensuring that space can be preserved for future use by both amateur and professional astronomers. Now eyes are on COPUOS and its 67th session, set to take place in June, 2024.

Astrobite edited by Graham Doskoch

Featured image credit: UNIS Vienna/Johanna Kleinert

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United Nations prioritizes discussion of Dark and Quiet Skies - Astrobites

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The burning acid behind ant stings was spotted around two stars – WAPT Jackson

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Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected commonplace chemical ingredients found in vinegar, ant stings and even margaritas around two young stars, according to NASA.The complex organic molecules they observed using the space observatory's Mid-Infrared Instrument included acetic acid, a component of vinegar, and ethanol otherwise known as alcohol.The team also found simple molecules of formic acid, which causes the burning sensation associated with ant stings, as well as sulfur dioxide, methane and formaldehyde. Scientists think sulfurous compounds such as sulfur dioxide might have played a key role on early Earth that eventually paved the way for life to form.The newly detected molecules were spotted as icy compounds surrounding IRAS 2A and IRAS 23385, which are two protostars, or stars so young they have not yet formed planets. Stars form from swirling clouds of gas and dust, and the leftover material from star formation gives rise to planets.The protostar IRAS 23385 is estimated to be 15,981 light-years from Earth in the Milky Way, according to previous research.The new observation intrigues astronomers because the molecules detected around the stars could be crucial ingredients for potentially habitable worlds, and those ingredients could be incorporated into the planets that will likely eventually form around the stars.Space is full of heavy metals and chemical elements and compounds that have been created and released by star explosions over time. In turn, the chemical elements become incorporated in clouds that form the next generation of stars and planets. On Earth, the right combination of elements allowed life to form, and as famed astronomer Carl Sagan once said, "We are made of star-stuff." But astronomers have long questioned just how common the elements necessary for life are across the cosmos.The search for complex molecules in spacePreviously, scientists using Webb discovered types of ice made of different elements in a cold, dark molecular cloud, an interstellar clump of gas and dust where hydrogen and carbon monoxide molecules can form. Dense clumps within these clouds can collapse to form protostars.Detecting complex organic molecules in space is helping astronomers to determine the molecules' origins as well as those of other larger cosmic molecules.Scientists believe that complex organic molecules are created by the sublimation of ices in space, or the process when a solid changes to a gas without first becoming a liquid, and the new Webb detection lends evidence to that theory."This finding contributes to one of the long-standing questions in astrochemistry," said Will Rocha, team leader of the James Webb Observations of Young ProtoStars program and a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University in the Netherlands, in a statement. "What is the origin of complex organic molecules, or COMs, in space? Are they made in the gas phase or in ices? The detection of COMs in ices suggests that solid-phase chemical reactions on the surfaces of cold dust grains can build complex kinds of molecules."A study detailing the new protostar findings has been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.A peek at the early solar systemUnderstanding the form that complex organic molecules take can help astronomers better understand the ways that the molecules become incorporated in planets. Complex organic molecules trapped in cold ices can eventually become part of comets or asteroids, which collide with planets and essentially deliver ingredients that could support life.The chemicals found around the protostars may mirror the early history of our solar system, allowing astronomers a way to look back at what was present when the sun and the planets that orbit it, including Earth, were forming."All of these molecules can become part of comets and asteroids and eventually new planetary systems when the icy material is transported inward to the planet-forming disk as the protostellar system evolves," said study coauthor Ewine van Dishoeck, professor of molecular astrophysics at Leiden University, in a statement. "We look forward to following this astrochemical trail step-by-step with more Webb data in the coming years."The team has dedicated the results of their research to study coauthor Harold Linnartz, who died unexpectedly in December shortly after the paper's acceptance for publication.Linnartz, who led the Leiden Laboratory for Astrophysics and coordinated measurements used in the study, was a "world leader in laboratory studies of gaseous and icy molecules in interstellar space," according to a release from Leiden University.He was reportedly thrilled by the data Webb was able to capture, and what the findings might mean for astrochemistry research."Harold was particularly happy that in the COM assignments lab work could play an important role as it has been a long time getting here," van Dishoeck said.

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected commonplace chemical ingredients found in vinegar, ant stings and even margaritas around two young stars, according to NASA.

The complex organic molecules they observed using the space observatory's Mid-Infrared Instrument included acetic acid, a component of vinegar, and ethanol otherwise known as alcohol.

The team also found simple molecules of formic acid, which causes the burning sensation associated with ant stings, as well as sulfur dioxide, methane and formaldehyde. Scientists think sulfurous compounds such as sulfur dioxide might have played a key role on early Earth that eventually paved the way for life to form.

The newly detected molecules were spotted as icy compounds surrounding IRAS 2A and IRAS 23385, which are two protostars, or stars so young they have not yet formed planets. Stars form from swirling clouds of gas and dust, and the leftover material from star formation gives rise to planets.

The protostar IRAS 23385 is estimated to be 15,981 light-years from Earth in the Milky Way, according to previous research.

The new observation intrigues astronomers because the molecules detected around the stars could be crucial ingredients for potentially habitable worlds, and those ingredients could be incorporated into the planets that will likely eventually form around the stars.

Space is full of heavy metals and chemical elements and compounds that have been created and released by star explosions over time. In turn, the chemical elements become incorporated in clouds that form the next generation of stars and planets.

On Earth, the right combination of elements allowed life to form, and as famed astronomer Carl Sagan once said, "We are made of star-stuff." But astronomers have long questioned just how common the elements necessary for life are across the cosmos.

Previously, scientists using Webb discovered types of ice made of different elements in a cold, dark molecular cloud, an interstellar clump of gas and dust where hydrogen and carbon monoxide molecules can form. Dense clumps within these clouds can collapse to form protostars.

Detecting complex organic molecules in space is helping astronomers to determine the molecules' origins as well as those of other larger cosmic molecules.

NASA/ESA/CSA/L. Hustak via CNN Newsource

Scientists believe that complex organic molecules are created by the sublimation of ices in space, or the process when a solid changes to a gas without first becoming a liquid, and the new Webb detection lends evidence to that theory.

"This finding contributes to one of the long-standing questions in astrochemistry," said Will Rocha, team leader of the James Webb Observations of Young ProtoStars program and a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University in the Netherlands, in a statement. "What is the origin of complex organic molecules, or COMs, in space? Are they made in the gas phase or in ices? The detection of COMs in ices suggests that solid-phase chemical reactions on the surfaces of cold dust grains can build complex kinds of molecules."

A study detailing the new protostar findings has been accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Understanding the form that complex organic molecules take can help astronomers better understand the ways that the molecules become incorporated in planets. Complex organic molecules trapped in cold ices can eventually become part of comets or asteroids, which collide with planets and essentially deliver ingredients that could support life.

The chemicals found around the protostars may mirror the early history of our solar system, allowing astronomers a way to look back at what was present when the sun and the planets that orbit it, including Earth, were forming.

"All of these molecules can become part of comets and asteroids and eventually new planetary systems when the icy material is transported inward to the planet-forming disk as the protostellar system evolves," said study coauthor Ewine van Dishoeck, professor of molecular astrophysics at Leiden University, in a statement. "We look forward to following this astrochemical trail step-by-step with more Webb data in the coming years."

The team has dedicated the results of their research to study coauthor Harold Linnartz, who died unexpectedly in December shortly after the paper's acceptance for publication.

Linnartz, who led the Leiden Laboratory for Astrophysics and coordinated measurements used in the study, was a "world leader in laboratory studies of gaseous and icy molecules in interstellar space," according to a release from Leiden University.

He was reportedly thrilled by the data Webb was able to capture, and what the findings might mean for astrochemistry research.

"Harold was particularly happy that in the COM assignments lab work could play an important role as it has been a long time getting here," van Dishoeck said.

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The burning acid behind ant stings was spotted around two stars - WAPT Jackson

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The oddities known as Centaurs may sprout their tales after jumping to new orbits – Astronomy Magazine

Posted: at 10:13 am

Objects that look like asteroids can still become active for numerous reasons. These objects are known as Centaurs and can have spots of activity and generate tails. Credit: Pamela L Gay/PSI.

In 1977, astronomer Charles Kowal discovered a strange, asteroid-like rocky object in the outer solar system. It was traveling slowly, as if orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune. This raised some eyebrows, as no asteroid had been discovered beyond Jupiter. Perhaps it was a comet that had lost its ices and was corralled into a more circular orbit by Saturns gravity. But no such objects had been discovered that far out, either, and this one was much larger than any known comet.

Kowal eventually named his discovery Chiron, after the wise centaur of Greek mythology, and suggested that the names of other centaurs be used for future similar objects.

What makes centaurs half-human, half-horse fitting namesakes is that these objects seem to straddle the line between asteroids and comets. Of the over 300 Centaurs known today, 39 have shown cometlike outbursts, sprouting a nebulous coma and sometimes a tail (including Chiron in the late 1980s and early 90s).

Scientists now know that these objects trickled inward from the frigid Kuiper Belt, the source of many of the solar systems comets. But what causes only some Centaurs to display cometlike behavior is still unknown.

Now, a team of researchers led by Eva Lilly, a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, have shown that all Centaurs observed with comae and tails have something in common: Each experienced recent changes to their orbits that Lilly and her colleagues call jumps.

The researchers discovered this while simulating the orbits of all known Centaurs over the past 5,000 years. In the model, the jumps happened when the objects had a close encounter with Saturn or Jupiter, which pulled them into more circular orbits, closer to the Sun. The work was published earlier this year in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The novelty of the new study is that the researchers calculated the orbits in more detail, with shorter time intervals between each step than in previous simulations. This allowed them to identify the orbital jumps, which in many cases would otherwise not have been noticeable.

I thought something was going on with the dynamics, says Lilly, but I wasnt expecting how very fast they would happen.

The results show that the most recent jumps occurred less than 250 years ago and took between several months and several years to materialize. In most cases, the objects ended up orbiting closer to the Sun by tens of millions of miles an inward jump of around half the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

All of a sudden, they were placed in the warmest environments they have ever experienced in their lifetimes, says Lilly.

To test whether the extra warmth from the Sun could penetrate Centaurs to reach ice beneath their surfaces, the team used a thermal model.

One Centaur, called P/2019 LD2 (ATLAS), warmed up by 36 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius) down to a depth of about 33 feet (10 meters) during a jump of about an Earth-Sun distance in early 2017. The results show that this would be enough to cause buried water ice to turn to vapor.

The heating of LD2 could also have heated amorphous water ice, a type of water ice unlike anything found on Earth that forms in the deep freezer of space. If this latter of ice is exposed to high enough temperatures, it will crystallize and suddenly release gases that could break off debris, quickly forming a cometlike atmosphere.

Interestingly, LD2 had a cometary outburst in 2017 that was detected by telescopes. But astronomers dont know whether the activity had already begun prior to the jump.

The uncertainty around LD2 highlights an ongoing issue that researchers have had in figuring out what sparks the activity of Centaurs: Despite sharing a common origin, each Centaur has unique properties, orbital changes and activity.

It can be difficult to ignore the trees and see the forest, says Teddy Kareta, a planetary astronomer at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, who was not involved with the study.

Kareta says that what is really interesting about the new study is that by treating every Centaur the same way in their dynamical models, the team is able to focus on the population as a whole and pinpoint a possible trigger for activity.

The team also identified three Centaurs (SW223, 31824 Elatus, and 32532 Thereus) as targets for future surveys to check for cometary activity. These objects will reach their closest approaches to the Sun in about 15 years and the researchers simulations showed that they had recent jumps.

We know a lot about how objects start and end, says Kareta, but we are really only starting to scratch the surface in understanding the middle where cometary activity first begins.

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The oddities known as Centaurs may sprout their tales after jumping to new orbits - Astronomy Magazine

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Daily Archives: March 16, 2024

A WORK IN PROGRESS | News | shelbynews.com – Shelbynews

U.S. Inability To Address Nuclear Waste Harms Environmental Progress – Newsweek

Solar Eclipse Path Map Shows States Where Sun Will Be Blocked Out – Newsweek

Park Progress – Greater Wilmington Business Journal

Deep-space astronomy sensor peers into the heart of an atom – Space.com

SF supervisor to hold hearing on homeless-shelter progress | Housing | sfexaminer.com – San Francisco Examiner

Physics and Astronomy Colloquium – Professor Paul Cassak; Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia … – The University of Iowa

United Nations prioritizes discussion of Dark and Quiet Skies – Astrobites

The burning acid behind ant stings was spotted around two stars – WAPT Jackson

The oddities known as Centaurs may sprout their tales after jumping to new orbits – Astronomy Magazine

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