NASA | Supercomputer Shows How an Exoplanet Makes Waves

A new NASA supercomputer simulation of the planet and debris disk around the nearby star Beta Pictoris reveals that the planet's motion drives spiral waves throughout the disk, a phenomenon that greatly increases collisions among the orbiting debris. Patterns in the collisions and the resulting dust appear to account for many observed features that previous research has been unable to fully explain.

Astronomers Erika Nesvold (UMBC) and Marc Kuchner (NASA Goddard) essentially created a virtual Beta Pictoris in the computer and watched it evolve over millions of years. It is the first full 3-D model of a debris disk where scientists can watch the development of asymmetric features formed by planets, like warps and eccentric rings, and also track collisions among the particles at the same time.

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[JavierEscobarFuentes]

A nice instance of how computer simulations help scientists push forward and a great breakthrough in planetary science.

[Livsfitz]

this is probably the simplest explanation they could give to people who aren't astrophysicists, I wonder how complicated the language they use together is lol

[ComandanteJ]

Gotta love these acronyms hahaha. So i guess, in the future, those differences in density along with this new technique, could be used to create a somewhat precise model of the moons that could form from that disk?

[haroldbeaumont]

LEAVES THE QUESTION , WHAT SEASON FOR ASTEROIDS -?

[jajupa]

puttin da 'smack' down on dem cosmos.) Good job...

[amedeoferrari]

VORREI, CHE FOSSE TRADOTTO
IN ITALIANO..E' STUPENDO..
VEDERE I FILMATI.. MA NON
CONOSCO LA LINGUA...

[cory]

I like to mess with the grading system at my school by writing “This sentence cannot be proven.”
I feel like I've found a way around the system

[martinplasterpalace]

I suppose you could tell me when the next asteroid coming then

[brassmatrass]

Mmmm, what is the word I am looking for....ahh yes its AWESOME!!!! :-)

[chez]

am i the only one getting scared while thinking of stars and planets, like how massive those things are

[MikeLuisCozinheiro]

Is fantastic...I'm very regretful I haven't followed in love when I was younger, because il be a astrofisition scientist

[arthurrobey]

Just think. About 10years ago the experts were saying it would be utterly impossible to detect exo-planets.How quickly the exceptional becomes mundane.
Your god daughter has an excepionaly lucid mind, Sir.

[guutberg]

It should be written in other languages

[haroldbeaumont]

THE SUN MUST HAVE THE MAGNTICFIELD TO ATTRACT THESE TRANSJECTORY OBJECTS .

[haroldbeaumont]

JUST LIKE SAG A IN THE CENTRE OF THE MILKY WAY .

[amoshostnine]

Start Giving God The credit He Deserves not google. UR IN UP TO HOCK TROUBLE IN OVER UR HEADS.

[markroeder]

This program could help to explain a lot bigger things such as spiral galaxy formation ect.

[golagaz]

brilliant work. Congrats. NASA please give them more funding.

[johnparker]

Congratulations this is utterly brilliant work :)

[androumac]

I believe the reason why the spiral is created with the high inclination on one side, is because the exoplanet, s orbit, like they said, is eccentric, but, also because the poles and rotational axis must change a lot.