A new study by researchers at the University of Houston has uncovered that Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, generates heat from within. Led by Dr Xinyue Wang of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the research challenges earlier beliefs that Uranus lacked internal heat.
Published in Geophysical Research Letters, the study shows Uranus emits about 12.5% more heat than it receives from the Sun, which is around 1.8 billion miles away. This overturns earlier findings from NASA's Voyager 2 mission in 1986, which had suggested the planet was unusually cold and inactive internally.
Dr Wang explained that Uranus is still slowly releasing residual heat from its formation, offering valuable insight into the planet's evolution and origin. While Uranus does produce internal heat, it remains far behind Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, which emit up to 100% more heat than they absorb from the Sun.
"From a scientific perspective, this study helps us better understand Uranus and other giant planets. For future space exploration, I think it strengthens the case for a mission to Uranus," Xinyue Wang said.
The amount of heat emitted from Uranus is also influenced by its extremely long seasons, each lasting over 20 years. Scientists believe a solar weather event during Voyager 2's flyby may have affected earlier readings.
Additionally, Uranus' moon Miranda is gaining attention for its potential to host alien life. New studies from Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Dakota suggest the moon could have subsurface water, a key ingredient for life and future human exploration.
Liming Li, co-author and professor in UH's Department of Physics, said this study could improve planning for NASA's flagship mission to orbit and probe Uranus, an initiative the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine classified as its highest priority for the 2023-32 decade.
"By uncovering how Uranus stores and loses heat, we gain valuable insights into the fundamental processes that shape planetary atmospheres, weather systems and climate systems," Li said. "These findings help broaden our perspective on Earth's atmospheric system and the challenges of climate change."
