Alexander Berne
@enceladusdude.bsky.social
Planetary Geophysicist at the University of Arizona | formerly at Caltech
Mostly working on the Moon and Enceladus.
alexcberne.com
Mostly working on the Moon and Enceladus.
alexcberne.com
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Research from Nozair Khawaja @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social, comments from @enceladusdude.bsky.social & Larry Esposito @colorado.edu. Story by @astrokimcartier.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Research from Nozair Khawaja @freieuniversitaet.bsky.social, comments from @enceladusdude.bsky.social & Larry Esposito @colorado.edu. Story by @astrokimcartier.bsky.social
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Once again my email autocorrects “dunite” to “unite,” causing me to send emails where it seems like I’m trying to unionize the Moon
June 16, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Once again my email autocorrects “dunite” to “unite,” causing me to send emails where it seems like I’m trying to unionize the Moon
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Edge effects suck. That is all.
June 9, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Edge effects suck. That is all.
Reposted by Alexander Berne
May 31, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Happy pride month! I worked with some LA-based scientists and engineers, and we have a kickstarter for space pride t-shirts! Consider backing!
🛰️🏳️⚧️🚀🏳️🌈🪐
www.kickstarter.com/projects/spa...
🛰️🏳️⚧️🚀🏳️🌈🪐
www.kickstarter.com/projects/spa...
June 6, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Happy pride month! I worked with some LA-based scientists and engineers, and we have a kickstarter for space pride t-shirts! Consider backing!
🛰️🏳️⚧️🚀🏳️🌈🪐
www.kickstarter.com/projects/spa...
🛰️🏳️⚧️🚀🏳️🌈🪐
www.kickstarter.com/projects/spa...
Reposted by Alexander Berne
The public meltdown happening between the world’s richest man 🙄 and the President of the United States 🙄🙄 once again begs the age-old question: are men simply too emotional to be in positions of power?
June 5, 2025 at 11:04 PM
The public meltdown happening between the world’s richest man 🙄 and the President of the United States 🙄🙄 once again begs the age-old question: are men simply too emotional to be in positions of power?
Reposted by Alexander Berne
this is a day for those of us who have spent the last six months terminally online. this is for us and honestly, we deserve it.
June 5, 2025 at 7:42 PM
this is a day for those of us who have spent the last six months terminally online. this is for us and honestly, we deserve it.
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Pride Month question: are any of the planets straight? Discuss.
June 4, 2025 at 2:50 AM
Pride Month question: are any of the planets straight? Discuss.
Reposted by Alexander Berne
What today feels like
June 6, 2025 at 1:47 AM
What today feels like
Imaging Ganyemede’s Interior using Tides? 🛰️
Here, we propose measuring Ganymede’s response to tidal intercations with Jupiter using JUICE gravity data. In doing so, we can (maybe) tease out shell thickness variations, which would indicate a convecting ocean.
Read more at:
doi.org/10.1029/2025...
Here, we propose measuring Ganymede’s response to tidal intercations with Jupiter using JUICE gravity data. In doing so, we can (maybe) tease out shell thickness variations, which would indicate a convecting ocean.
Read more at:
doi.org/10.1029/2025...
June 3, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Imaging Ganyemede’s Interior using Tides? 🛰️
Here, we propose measuring Ganymede’s response to tidal intercations with Jupiter using JUICE gravity data. In doing so, we can (maybe) tease out shell thickness variations, which would indicate a convecting ocean.
Read more at:
doi.org/10.1029/2025...
Here, we propose measuring Ganymede’s response to tidal intercations with Jupiter using JUICE gravity data. In doing so, we can (maybe) tease out shell thickness variations, which would indicate a convecting ocean.
Read more at:
doi.org/10.1029/2025...
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Happy pride month ❤️🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
June 2, 2025 at 5:47 AM
Happy pride month ❤️🏳️⚧️🏳️🌈
Reposted by Alexander Berne
This is one of the highest-resolution images ever to show "coronal rain"—cooler, ionised gas in the Sun's corona that falls back down, following curved magnetic field lines as it does so.
This image was taken in the hydrogen alpha spectral line; I inverted the image such that brighter = hotter.
This image was taken in the hydrogen alpha spectral line; I inverted the image such that brighter = hotter.
May 28, 2025 at 5:51 PM
This is one of the highest-resolution images ever to show "coronal rain"—cooler, ionised gas in the Sun's corona that falls back down, following curved magnetic field lines as it does so.
This image was taken in the hydrogen alpha spectral line; I inverted the image such that brighter = hotter.
This image was taken in the hydrogen alpha spectral line; I inverted the image such that brighter = hotter.
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Iapetus in enhanced color - From Gordan Ugarković (ugordan.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/51Cjrb
May 28, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Iapetus in enhanced color - From Gordan Ugarković (ugordan.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/51Cjrb
Reposted by Alexander Berne
it's nice of SpaceX to demonstrate a new failure mode for starship every launch
May 28, 2025 at 12:09 AM
it's nice of SpaceX to demonstrate a new failure mode for starship every launch
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Reposted by Alexander Berne
So has elon cancelled his presentation?
May 28, 2025 at 12:38 AM
So has elon cancelled his presentation?
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Crescent Saturn and Titan - From Val Klavans - https://flic.kr/p/fv6rVE
May 28, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Crescent Saturn and Titan - From Val Klavans - https://flic.kr/p/fv6rVE
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Hydrogen escape contributed to Mars' progressive aridity, but current H-loss rates cannot explain inferred past water abundances. A 3D model shows that during periods of increased axis tilt H-loss rates were up to 10x higher than at present.
Increased hydrogen escape from Mars atmosphere during periods of high obliquity - Nature Astronomy
Hydrogen escape has contributed to Mars’s progressive aridity, but current hydrogen loss rates cannot explain inferred past water abundances. A three-dimensional model shows that during periods of increased axis tilt, hydrogen loss rates were up to ten times higher than present values.
bit.ly
May 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Hydrogen escape contributed to Mars' progressive aridity, but current H-loss rates cannot explain inferred past water abundances. A 3D model shows that during periods of increased axis tilt H-loss rates were up to 10x higher than at present.
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Thermal asymmetry in the Moon's mantle inferred from monthly tidal response
->Nature | #Space #Moon | More info from EcoSearch
->Nature | #Space #Moon | More info from EcoSearch
Thermal asymmetry in the Moon's mantle inferred from monthly tidal response
We analysed the PM and XM data from the GRAIL mission. The PM phase started on 1 March 2012 and ended on 29 May 2012 (that is, 89 days) with the average altitude of roughly 55 km (ref. 5). The...
www.nature.com
May 14, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Reposted by Alexander Berne
This is insane, and sabotages the future of US science—and it’s so easy to see why…
AI, quantum, etc., all started as niche research 10, 20, 50 years ago. They’re “trendy” science of national importance today because of decades of investments in broad, fundamental research.
(🧵1/3)
AI, quantum, etc., all started as niche research 10, 20, 50 years ago. They’re “trendy” science of national importance today because of decades of investments in broad, fundamental research.
(🧵1/3)
NSF to ONLY fund research in five areas: artificial intelligence, quantum information science, biotechnology, nuclear energy, and translational science. Can this be happening?
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
NSF slashes number of ‘rotators’ and well-paid managers as part of restructuring
Smaller future budgets will require fewer people, NSF official tells staff
www.science.org
May 10, 2025 at 2:22 AM
This is insane, and sabotages the future of US science—and it’s so easy to see why…
AI, quantum, etc., all started as niche research 10, 20, 50 years ago. They’re “trendy” science of national importance today because of decades of investments in broad, fundamental research.
(🧵1/3)
AI, quantum, etc., all started as niche research 10, 20, 50 years ago. They’re “trendy” science of national importance today because of decades of investments in broad, fundamental research.
(🧵1/3)
Reposted by Alexander Berne
May 16, 2025 at 4:22 PM
The Moon's nearside mantle is a giant volcano? 🌋
In this study, we infer a 100-200 C temperature anomaly in the Moon's nearside mantle. This anomaly suggests that geologic activity which formed the mare 3-4 billion years ago is still active today.
nature.com/articles/s41...
In this study, we infer a 100-200 C temperature anomaly in the Moon's nearside mantle. This anomaly suggests that geologic activity which formed the mare 3-4 billion years ago is still active today.
nature.com/articles/s41...
May 15, 2025 at 1:15 AM
The Moon's nearside mantle is a giant volcano? 🌋
In this study, we infer a 100-200 C temperature anomaly in the Moon's nearside mantle. This anomaly suggests that geologic activity which formed the mare 3-4 billion years ago is still active today.
nature.com/articles/s41...
In this study, we infer a 100-200 C temperature anomaly in the Moon's nearside mantle. This anomaly suggests that geologic activity which formed the mare 3-4 billion years ago is still active today.
nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Forgot all the feeds. Check this out 👇 🧪⚒️🛰️ #PlanetaryScience
Cool new paper out. Ryan Park and Alex Berne (with the help of a lot of other co-authors including a tiny role from me) pushed the GRAIL lunar gravity data further than before, notably updating the estimate of the k3 Love number.
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-st...
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-st...
NASA Studies Reveal Hidden Secrets About Interiors of Moon, Vesta
Analyzing gravity data collected by spacecraft orbiting other worlds reveals groundbreaking insights about planetary structures without having to land on the surface.
www.jpl.nasa.gov
May 14, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Forgot all the feeds. Check this out 👇 🧪⚒️🛰️ #PlanetaryScience
Reposted by Alexander Berne
Cool new paper out. Ryan Park and Alex Berne (with the help of a lot of other co-authors including a tiny role from me) pushed the GRAIL lunar gravity data further than before, notably updating the estimate of the k3 Love number.
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-st...
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-st...
NASA Studies Reveal Hidden Secrets About Interiors of Moon, Vesta
Analyzing gravity data collected by spacecraft orbiting other worlds reveals groundbreaking insights about planetary structures without having to land on the surface.
www.jpl.nasa.gov
May 14, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Cool new paper out. Ryan Park and Alex Berne (with the help of a lot of other co-authors including a tiny role from me) pushed the GRAIL lunar gravity data further than before, notably updating the estimate of the k3 Love number.
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-st...
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-st...