The James Webb Space Telescope has provided the first measurements of an exoplanet’s core mass, revealing surprising insights about WASP-107 b, a planet hundreds of light-years away. The research, led by David Sing, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, found the planet has a thousand times less methane than expected and a core 12 times more massive than Earth’s. Despite the presence of methane, a building block of life, WASP-107 b is not considered habitable due to its proximity to its parent star and lack of a solid surface. The findings will inform future studies of planetary atmospheres and interiors.
Unveiling the Mysteries of Exoplanet WASP-107 b
The James Webb Space Telescope has provided the first-ever measurements of an exoplanet’s core mass, revealing surprising insights about the cotton candy-like planet WASP-107 b. The data obtained from the telescope will likely form the foundation for future studies of planetary atmospheres and interiors, crucial in the quest for habitable worlds beyond our solar system.
David Sing, a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Johns Hopkins University, explains that understanding the mass, radius, atmospheric composition, and internal temperature of a planet hundreds of light-years away can provide a comprehensive picture of its interior and core mass. This methodology can be applied to various gas planets in different systems.
The research, published in Nature, reveals that WASP-107 b has a thousand times less methane than anticipated and a core 12 times more massive than Earth’s. The planet, which orbits a star about 200 light-years away, is a Jupiter-sized world with only a tenth of Jupiter’s mass, making it unusually puffy.
Methane Mysteries and Planetary Evolution
Despite the presence of methane—a building block of life on Earth—WASP-107 b is not considered habitable due to its proximity to its parent star and lack of a solid surface. However, it could offer valuable insights into late-stage planetary evolution.
The low methane levels puzzled scientists, leading to the hypothesis that the molecule transforms into other compounds as it rises from the planet’s interior, interacting with a mix of other chemicals and starlight in the upper atmosphere. The team also detected sulfur dioxide, water vapor, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide, and found that WASP-107 b has more heavy elements than Uranus and Neptune.
Unraveling Planetary Atmospheres in Extreme Conditions
The chemical profile of WASP-107 b is beginning to shed light on how planetary atmospheres behave under extreme conditions. Sing’s team plans to conduct similar observations on an additional 25 planets with the Webb telescope over the next year.
The study of this mixing process in an exoplanet atmosphere is a significant step towards understanding how these dynamic chemical reactions operate. This knowledge is crucial as scientists begin to examine rocky planets and biomarker signatures.
The Connection Between an Exoplanet’s Interior and Atmosphere
The overinflated radius of WASP-107 b led scientists to speculate that a heat source inside the planet was responsible. By combining atmospheric and interior physics models with Webb’s data, the team was able to account for how the planet’s thermodynamics influences its observable atmosphere.
Zafar Rustamkulov, a Johns Hopkins doctoral student in planetary science who co-led the research, explains that the planet’s hot core changes the chemistry of the gases deeper down and drives strong, convective mixing from the interior. This heat is believed to be destroying methane and producing elevated amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
Future Research Directions
The team is now focusing on what might be keeping the core hot and expects forces similar to those causing high and low tides in Earth’s oceans might be at play. They plan to test whether the planet is being stretched and pulled by its star and how that might account for the core’s high heat.
This research represents the clearest connection scientists have been able to make about the interior of an exoplanet and the top of its atmosphere. The findings will undoubtedly pave the way for further exploration and understanding of exoplanets, bringing us one step closer to discovering habitable worlds beyond our solar system.
External Link: Click Here For More
