Latest news with #Magellan
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hold the syrup: Weirdly perfect 'pancakes' on Venus may prove the planet is buckling
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Scientists may have finally cracked the recipe behind Venus' giant pancakes. Venus is famous for its "pancake domes" — steep-sided volcanoes that rise from the planet's surface like circular welts. A study now suggests that these unusual dome-shaped structures are at least partly sculpted by the planet's upper crust, which seems more flexible in certain regions. Volcanoes are common across Venus, with more than 1,600 large volcanoes or volcanic features discovered so far. One of the more intriguing types are the so-called pancake domes, disk-shaped structures that stretch over tens of miles but are only half a mile in height, like a flattened version of Hawaii's Mauna Loa. Exactly how these volcanoes form — and what they're made of — is still a mystery. One idea is that they develop from super-sticky, slow-flowing lava that moves under the force of its own weight (the technical term for this phenomenon is a viscous gravity current). Eventually, the lava stops moving and solidifies, forming the pancake domes. But does the domes' formation depend only on the type of lava? Probably not, Madison Borrelli, a postdoctoral researcher at the Georgia Institute of Technology and first author of the new study, told Live Science by email. One factor that many previous studies hadn't considered was the bendiness', or the flexure, of Venus' upper crust. It turns out that Venus' surface — and Earth's — behaves, in certain areas, like an orange's skin: under a sufficiently heavy load, the surfaces dimple. If such dimpling accompanied the pancake domes' formation, it would leave certain tell-tale signs, like a bulge surrounding the dome, where the crust buckled upwards. Indeed, a 2021 study found such flexural signatures surrounding one-fifth of a sample of Venusian pancake domes. Related: Venus may be geologically 'alive' after all, reanalysis of 30-year-old NASA data reveals To determine how a bendy crust could affect the formation of a pancake dome, Borrelli and her colleagues at universities in France and the U.S. focused on the only dome for which they had high resolution data: the Narina Tholus, an 88.5-mile-wide (55 kilometers) dome located on the circumference of the Aramaiti Corona, one of the many giant oval structures that pockmark Venus' surface. The new study, published May 10 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, used topographical data collected by NASA's radar-wielding Magellan mission in the 1990s, the researchers created a virtual model of the Narina Tholus dome. They then simulated viscous gravity currents of lavas of different densities atop both a flexible upper crust and a rigid lithosphere, and compared the results to the virtual dome. The study's results showed that domes created on a bendy crust looked far more like the virtual pancake dome than those that formed on the rigid lithosphere. In particular, the flexible crust's domes had flat tops and very steep sides, characteristic of the pancake domes. This stems from the fact that the bulge around the dome prevents the lava from flowing further, causing it to accumulate, the researchers said. The bendy lithosphere's domes also had flexural signatures similar to that of Narina Tholus. However, the dimpling of the lithosphere couldn't alone explain the domes' features — the lava's density mattered too. Although low-density lavas produced domes with the right sort of shape, they created smaller crustal bulges than those found near the real-life pancake dome. Only lavas denser than 0.0867 lbs per cubic inch (2,400 kg/m3) — or over twice the density of room temperature water — produced both the correct dome shapes and flexural signatures. These high-density lavas were more than a trillion times as viscous as ketchup at room temperature and settled down to form the domes over hundreds of thousands of Earth-years. Nonetheless, the study's main drawback is that it used data from just the Narina Tholus dome. Borrelli hopes that upcoming missions to Venus — like NASA's VERITAS program — will provide higher resolution topography of the planet's surface, allowing the researchers to test their model with more data. RELATED STORIES —Heavy dusting of 'pineapple powder' paints Hawaii's volcanoes white after near-record snowfall — Earth from space —Venus may be geologically 'alive' after all, reanalysis of 30-year-old NASA data reveals —See Venus at its 'greatest brilliancy' this week — or wait until Sept. 2026 The new data could also help determine the exact type of lava that forms the pancake domes, a question the researchers were unable to answer. While most Venusian volcanoes appear to spew Mauna Loa-like basaltic lava, the researchers couldn't rule out rhyolitic and andesitic lavas, similar to those that spout from Mount St. Helens. Borelli said that finding diverse lava types on Venus would be interesting. "This can tell us about the planet's tectonic history, magmatic processes, and even the potential past presence of water."
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
The Strange Secret Behind Venus' Pancake Volcanoes
Venus is home to some of the weirdest volcanoes in the solar system—massive, flattened domes that look like planetary pancakes left to cool on the world's blistering surface. Scientists have long suspected these 'pancake domes' formed from thick, slow-moving lava. But a new study suggests that Venus' bendy crust may be crucial to the formation of the circular mounts. The research, published earlier this month in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, focused on one particularly enormous dome, Narina Tholus, which stretches nearly 90 miles (145 kilometers) across. Using old radar data from NASA's 1990s Magellan mission, researchers built a virtual model of the dome and tested what kind of lava—and what kind of crust—could produce such a geological flapjack. Turns out, lava alone doesn't explain the domes' strange shape. 'Our models show that flexure influences dome shape,' the researchers wrote, 'in the presence of more flexure, dome tops become flatter and sides steeper.' Just like the skin of more fleshy things, Venus' crust can dimple and deform when saddled with thick lava. When researchers simulated lava flowing over a bendy lithosphere, the molten rock stopped spreading and piled up, forming flat tops with steep sides—just like Venus' pancake domes. Crucially, this model also reproduced the crustal bulges spotted around some domes in previous studies. Still, not just any lava would do. Only ultra-dense lava—more than twice the density of water and over a trillion times as viscous as ketchup, as reported by Live Science, matched both the dome shape and the surrounding deformation. The researchers think such lava could take 'up to hundreds of thousands of Earth-years' to fully settle into these colossal structures. The team's model is based on just one dome, so it's not conclusive. But upcoming missions like NASA's VERITAS or DAVINCI will provide better topographic data to test their theory across more of Venus' thousands of volcanic features. Better understanding these features could yield more insights into the formation of the hellish planet, sometimes referred to as Earth's evil twin for the way its planetary evolution split off from the timeline that made our world wet, verdant, and rife with life.
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Climate
- Boston Globe
Right on cue, the first tropical storm of the season could be named as early as today
Advertisement Mexico can expect gusty winds with heavy rain by early next week, but the mainland United States should only see a few showers from leftover moisture at best. The tropical system will likely track north toward the west coast of Mexico. Each line represents a model forecast track of the storm. Boston Globe The first Pacific Ocean storm is usually named on June 10, but the trend over the past two-and-a-half decades shows otherwise, making a May storm more expected than surprising. 'In the past 25 years (2000-2024), 25 Eastern North Pacific named storms have formed in May,' said Phil Klotzbach, senior research scientist at Colorado State University. 'So getting storm formations around this time of year in the eastern North Pacific is pretty common.' I mean, just take a look at how sea-surface temperatures have fared over the past week just south of Mexico. The brown shaded areas below show sea-surface temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher. Tropical storms and hurricanes only need sea-surface temperatures of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit to develop and thrive. Advertisement Sea surface temperatures across the Eastern Tropical Pacific over the past seven days. Legend in Celsius. WeatherModels Fun fact: The word 'Pacific' came from Magellan, the famous explorer who named the ocean as such because he experienced its calm waters during travel. The Eastern Pacific hurricane season is not as dramatically peaked as the Atlantic, meaning more storms form earlier in the season, with a less dramatic peak compared to how the Atlantic hurricane season typically unfolds. Typical Eastern Pacific tropical storm and hurricane activity for an average tropical season. NOAA Just to compare with the average Atlantic hurricane season, take a look at how steep the increase in storm activity rises late in the season versus the steadier Eastern Pacific season above. The average Atlantic hurricane season in terms of storms per date. NOAA The Atlantic hurricane season begins Sunday, June 1, and NOAA is forecasting another active season with 13 to 19 named storms and 6 to 10 hurricanes, of which three to five major hurricanes are expected to spin up. Ken Mahan can be reached at
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nour Films Takes French Rights to Lav Diaz's ‘Magellan' Ahead of Cannes Premiere (EXCLUSIVE)
Sales agency Luxbox has closed a distribution deal for France with Nour Films on Lav Diaz's 'Magellan,' starring Gael García Bernal, which has its world premiere in the Cannes Premiere section of the Cannes Film Festival. The film, set in the 16th century, follows Magellan, a young and ambitious Portuguese navigator. He rebels against the power of the King of Portugal, who doesn't support his dream of discovering the world, and persuades the Spanish monarchy to fund his bold expedition to the fabled lands of the East. More from Variety Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller Join James Gray's 'Paper Tiger,' Replacing Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong Mario Martone Talks Cannes-Bound 'Fuori' Starring Valeria Golino Who 'Was Imbued With the Spirit of Goliarda Sapienza' as First Clip Is Revealed (EXCLUSIVE) Variety Celebrates French Cinema at Pre-Cannes Dinner Hosted at Parisian Landmark Restaurant Laperouse The voyage is exhausting beyond expectations, with hunger and mutiny pushing the crew to their limits. Upon reaching the islands of the Malayan Archipelago, Magellan's mind changes. He becomes obsessed with conquest and conversion, which sparks violent uprisings beyond his control. The Nour Films team said in a joint statement: 'With rare evocative power, 'Magellan' stands out as a new masterpiece by Lav Diaz. The Filipino filmmaker delivers a pictorial fresco of the 16th century, at once a sensory immersion and an uncompromising political perspective on colonial violence. 'Gael García Bernal plays an unsettling Magellan, full of contradictions. His magnetic, restrained performance gives flesh to this mythical character, without ever sanctifying him. A monumental film that Nour Films is proud to support.' Nour Films was the distributor of Berlinale 2018 Golden Bear winner 'Touch Me Not,' Cannes 2023 Caméra d'Or winner 'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell,' Berlinale 2023 documentary 'Seven Winters in Tehran' and Berlinale 2024 Teddy Award winner 'All Shall Be Well.' The producer of 'Magellan' is Joaquim Sapinho at Rosa Filmes in Portugal. The co-producers are Andergraun Films (Spain), Black Cap Pictures (Philippines), Ten17P (Philippines), El Viaje Filmes (Spain), Volos Films (Taiwan), Lib Films (France) and AKP21 (France). Diaz's previous films include 'The Woman Who Left,' which won Venice's Golden Lion in 2016, and 'From What Is Before,' which won Locarno's Golden Leopard in 2014. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lav Diaz to Direct ‘An Amazon' With Sine Olivia Pilipinas and Silverbelt Films Producing (EXCLUSIVE)
Filipino director Lav Diaz is in pre-production with 'An Amazon,' following the world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival of 'Magellan,' starring Gael Garcia Bernal. The project will be shot in Diaz's native Philippines. Diaz' Sine Olivia Pilipinas will produce the film with the French production company Silverbelt Films, founded by Pierre-Yves Bezat, who previously worked at Films Boutique. More from Variety Lav Diaz Opens Up About Rare Acting Role in Psychological Horror 'The Sacrifice,' First Look Unveiled (EXCLUSIVE) Nour Films Takes French Rights to Lav Diaz's 'Magellan' Ahead of Cannes Premiere (EXCLUSIVE) Lav Diaz's 'Magellan,' Starring Gael Garcia Bernal, Boarded by Luxbox Ahead of Cannes Premiere (EXCLUSIVE) The new film is based on a little known short story written by Alexandre Dumas. It will be the first film that Diaz will make in English, and will include some internationally well-known actors among its cast. 'An Amazon' is the story of a young man who meets a mysterious and masked woman during a ball. She refuses to disclose her identity, and swears to kill him if he reveals their affair. Bezat said: 'For 'An Amazon,' Lav Diaz was extremely inspired since our very first discussions around this deep and unknown story by Dumas, and the way it feels more contemporary than ever almost 200 years later.' According to Diaz, 'This Dumas story keeps striking me over and over again since we discussed this work with Pierre-Yves Bezat. The narration of 'An Amazon' has deep emotions and deep mystery around it, and is more contemporary than ever as our modern dictators' masks are cracking everyday.' 'An Amazon' will be shot at the end of this year, and is currently in the final stage of its financing. Diaz's previous films include 'From What Is Before,' which won Locarno's Golden Leopard in 2014, 'A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery,' winner of Berlin's Alfred Bauer Award in 2016, and 'The Woman Who Left,' which won Venice's Golden Lion in 2016. Silverbelt Films, which was set up in January 2023, also distributes short films, including 'Free Drum Kit' by Carmen Leroi, selected in competition at Cannes' Critics' Week. Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz
