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The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered evidence of carbon-based molecules in the atmosphere of a suspected ocean world.
Extrasolar planet or Exoplanet K2–18 b is a tantalizing target for astronomers as they search for life outside the solar system, as previous research and observations with… Hubble Space Telescope They suggested that the planet could be an ocean or a “Hessian” world filled with liquid water – a vital ingredient for life. K2–18 b has a radius two to three times larger than Earth’s radius and is located at a distance of 120 Light year Away from the Solar System.
The new results show traces of carbon dioxide and methane in K2–18 b’s atmosphere without detecting ammonia, likely indicating the presence of a water ocean beneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.
“Our findings underscore the importance of considering diverse habitable environments in the search for life elsewhere,” lead author of the research and University of Cambridge scientist Niku Madhusudan. He said in a statement. “Traditionally, the search for life on exoplanets has focused primarily on smaller planets Rocky planets“But larger Hessian worlds are more suitable for atmospheric observations.”
Related: How NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory will search exoplanets for signs of alien life
With a mass about 8.6 times the mass Land It is located in its wonderful star Habitable area– A region that is neither too hot nor too cold to host liquid water – K2–18 b is an example of an Earth-sized planet to an ice giant in the solar system Neptune. These worlds are referred to as “sub-Neptunian planets” and are unlike any planets in the solar system, making them a mystery to astronomers, who are currently debating the nature of their atmospheres.
This research should help lift the veil surrounding the atmospheres and environmental conditions of both the subplanets and Neptune Hessian worlds .
Is this evidence of the existence of life outside the solar system?
In addition to converting carbon molecules, JWSTThe results also showed that there might be something even more exciting in K2–18 b’s atmosphere.
The space telescope appears to have detected dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which is produced on Earth only as a byproduct of life, mainly created by phytoplankton. The team is cautious about this finding, which is much less certain than the presence of carbon molecules. “Upcoming Webb observations should be able to confirm whether DMS is indeed present in the atmosphere of K2–18 b at significant levels,” Madhusudan explained.
This sense of caution should be applied to the K2–18 b results more generally when it comes to speculation Alien life. Even if a planet has a liquid water ocean and an atmosphere containing carbon molecules, this does not necessarily mean that it harbors life or that the exoplanet can support living organisms at all.
With a width of about 2.6 times Earth’s width, the planet’s size means its interior contains high-pressure ice similar to Neptune’s but with a thinner atmosphere and oceanic surface. This means the planet could boil liquid water, making its oceans too hot to host life.
How the James Webb Space Telescope saw straight through the ocean world
Assessing the atmospheric composition of distant worlds like K2–18 b is no easy task because the light reflected by their atmospheres is very faint compared to the light coming from their parent planets. stars. Madhusudan and the team did this for K2–18 b by waiting for the planet to cross the face of its star from the perspective of the James Webb Space Telescope. This means that the light of its parent star shines directly through the planet’s atmosphere.
Chemical elements and compounds absorb and emit light at specific, distinct wavelengths, which means that when they are in a planet’s atmosphere, they leave a distinct “imprint” on the starlight – the star’s “spectra” – as it passes through that atmosphere.
“This result was only possible due to the extended wavelength range and unprecedented sensitivity of the JWST, which enabled robust detection of spectral features with just two transits,” Madhusudan explained. “For comparison, one transit observation using the James Webb Space Telescope provided a resolution comparable to eight Hubble observations made over a few years and in a relatively narrow wavelength range.”
The team’s findings reflect data collected by the James Webb Space Telescope during just two transits of K2–18 b on the face of its parent star. There are more observations of the exoplanet on the way, but the team behind these results believe that what they have seen so far is already evidence of the power of the James Webb Space Telescope, with just one transit able to deliver the same amount of data that Hubble can harvest in Eight similar crossings.
The team will now continue observing K2–18 b using the James Webb Space Telescope and its mid-infrared instrument (Merry) in particular, as they aim to validate their findings as well as gather more information about environmental conditions on the exoplanet.
“Our ultimate goal is to identify life on a habitable exoplanet, which would change our understanding of our place on it.” Universe“Our findings are a promising step toward a deeper understanding of the Hessian worlds in this endeavor,” concluded Madhusudan.
The team’s research has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
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