Cyber Planets: Building Virtual Worlds to Explore

core plexus writes "Space.com has an interesting article on 'Cyber Planets': NASA plans to create hundreds of 'synthetic planets' that might represent real worlds orbiting faraway stars. Also tells about the Planetary Finder Mission, and an interview with one of the creators. Doesn't describe what software they're using, though."

Comments

VPL vs TPF

[astrobabe]

Ahh gee read the article- VPL is for the theory end- it's where scientists can model planet formation for both our solar system and others. Part of the purpose of VPL is to be able to model the formation of our own solar system so we can greater understand other solar systems and solar systems with brown dwarfs. TPF- Terrestrial Planet Finder is the telescope that will come after SIRTF and NGST (now know as the James Webb Space Telescope). Also, Vikki is not the "creator" of anything- she is the Principal Investigator for the NASA Astrobiology Institute and she is also on the Science Working Panel for TPF.

Re:Yeow

[Drog]

I ran this same story on my site today. More details are offered at the VPL website. They say that their models will be the first to combine the radiative fluxes, climate, chemistry, geology and biology of a terrestrial planet, to generate a wide range of plausible atmospheres for extrasolar planets, and for the atmospheres of early Earth.

VPL's home page

[Eminence]

For more data about the whole project go to Virtual Planetary Laboratory Homepage.