NEW DELHI: Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have achieved a significant milestone by detecting the atmosphere around the rocky exoplanet 55 Cancri e, which orbits a sun-like star at a distance of about 12.6 parsecs from Earth. This discovery is the first time that the atmosphere surrounding a planet outside the solar system has been identified. Although 55 Cancri e is inhospitable to life as we know it – largely because it is surrounded by a probable magma ocean – this discovery could provide key information about the early geological stages of rocky planets, including Earth. – according to a study published in the journal Nature.
The planet, a “super-Earth” much larger than our planet but smaller than Neptune, orbits dangerously close to a star dimmer and slightly less massive than our Sun, orbiting it every 18 hours. Infrared observations taken with the James Webb Space Telescope showed the presence of a significant atmosphere, likely opulent in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, as well as other gases such as water vapor and sulfur dioxide.
“The atmosphere is probably opulent in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, but may also contain other gases such as water vapor and sulfur dioxide. Current observations cannot determine the exact composition of the atmosphere,” said planetary scientist Renyu Hu of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.
Sara Seager, a planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was not involved in the study, emphasized the significance of the discovery, saying: “The discovery of a gaseous envelope around an Earth-like planet is a milestone in exoplanet research.” 55 Cancri e’s atmosphere is believed to be opulent in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, and its thickness is estimated to be “up to a few percent” of the planet’s radius. This super-Earth, about twice the size of our planet and more than eight times as massive, is a unique case study because of its proximity to its host star – only about one sixty-fifth the distance of Earth from the Sun.
Over the years, the planet has been the subject of intense research and speculation. Initially thought to be the core of a gas giant, further observations verified its classification as a dense, rocky super-Earth. Recent research suggests that 55 Cancri e has a dense atmosphere composed of heavier, volatile molecules, challenging previous theories that it was either a “water world” or surrounded by a lightweight hydrogen-helium atmosphere. This solid atmosphere is likely to survive intense stellar winds due to its composition of ponderous particles that do not escape easily into space.
Renyu Hu, a planetary scientist at JPL and co-author of the study, discussed the planet’s resistance to stellar winds, suggesting that its atmosphere may be constantly replenished by gases released from the underlying magma ocean. This constant interaction between the surface and the atmosphere creates a active system that can mirror conditions at the beginning of Earth, offering a real-time model for studying the formation and evolution of planets.
Laura Schaefer, a planetary geologist at Stanford University, also emphasized the value of studying such environments, saying: “Earth has probably gone through at least one igneous-oceanic stage, and maybe several. “Having actual state-of-the-art examples of igneous oceans could aid us understand the early history of our solar system.” This discovery not only expands our knowledge of planetary atmospheres, but also deepens our understanding of the processes that may have shaped the very early Earth.
(With the participation of the agency)
The planet, a “super-Earth” much larger than our planet but smaller than Neptune, orbits dangerously close to a star dimmer and slightly less massive than our Sun, orbiting it every 18 hours. Infrared observations taken with the James Webb Space Telescope showed the presence of a significant atmosphere, likely opulent in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, as well as other gases such as water vapor and sulfur dioxide.
“The atmosphere is probably opulent in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, but may also contain other gases such as water vapor and sulfur dioxide. Current observations cannot determine the exact composition of the atmosphere,” said planetary scientist Renyu Hu of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.
Sara Seager, a planetary scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who was not involved in the study, emphasized the significance of the discovery, saying: “The discovery of a gaseous envelope around an Earth-like planet is a milestone in exoplanet research.” 55 Cancri e’s atmosphere is believed to be opulent in carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide, and its thickness is estimated to be “up to a few percent” of the planet’s radius. This super-Earth, about twice the size of our planet and more than eight times as massive, is a unique case study because of its proximity to its host star – only about one sixty-fifth the distance of Earth from the Sun.
Over the years, the planet has been the subject of intense research and speculation. Initially thought to be the core of a gas giant, further observations verified its classification as a dense, rocky super-Earth. Recent research suggests that 55 Cancri e has a dense atmosphere composed of heavier, volatile molecules, challenging previous theories that it was either a “water world” or surrounded by a lightweight hydrogen-helium atmosphere. This solid atmosphere is likely to survive intense stellar winds due to its composition of ponderous particles that do not escape easily into space.
Renyu Hu, a planetary scientist at JPL and co-author of the study, discussed the planet’s resistance to stellar winds, suggesting that its atmosphere may be constantly replenished by gases released from the underlying magma ocean. This constant interaction between the surface and the atmosphere creates a active system that can mirror conditions at the beginning of Earth, offering a real-time model for studying the formation and evolution of planets.
Laura Schaefer, a planetary geologist at Stanford University, also emphasized the value of studying such environments, saying: “Earth has probably gone through at least one igneous-oceanic stage, and maybe several. “Having actual state-of-the-art examples of igneous oceans could aid us understand the early history of our solar system.” This discovery not only expands our knowledge of planetary atmospheres, but also deepens our understanding of the processes that may have shaped the very early Earth.
(With the participation of the agency)
