Astronomers detect evaporated metals in Jupiter's warm atmosphere. Astronomers using the HARPS (High Precision Radial Velocity Planet Finder) spectrograph at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Chile reported magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe) gaseous, Nickel (Ni) and vanadium (V) in the atmosphere of WASP-121b, is a hot exoplanet of Jupiter about 881 light years distant in the constellation of Pupis.
The upper part of WASP-121b's atmosphere heats up to 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit. WASP-121B is a gas giant planet 1.87 times larger than Jupiter and 1.18 times more massive. Discovered in 2016, it takes the alien world just 1.3 days to orbit its F6-type parent star, WASP-121. The planet is so close to WASP-121 that if it were to get closer, the star's gravity would begin to tear it apart. Astronomers estimate that the planet's temperature is about 2,500 ° C (4,600 ° F).
Which is hot enough to boil some metals. "Previous studies have shown that a lot happens in its environment," said Dr. Jens Hoijmakers, an astronomer at the National Center for Competence in Research Planets at the universities of Bern and Geneva and despite the fact that astronomers had assumed that ultrathones are simple atmospheres rather than planets because many complex chemical compounds cannot form in such scorching heat.
Previous studies tried to explain these complex observations, which were not commendable to me, he said. Those studies suspected that molecules with a relatively rare metallic vanadium were the main cause of the complex environment of WASP-121b. However, this only makes sense when a more common metal, titanium, is missing from the atmosphere. So we set out to find another explanation.
Using data from the high-resolution HARPS spectrograph from ESO's La Silla Observatory, Drs. Hoijmaker and his colleagues found magnesium, sodium, calcium, chromium, iron, nickel, and vanadium in the atmosphere of WASP-121b. All metals evaporate as a result of the high temperatures that prevail in WASP-121b, ensuring that the exoplanet's air contains evaporated metals, among other things," Dr. Hoijmakers said.
With the same technology we use today, instead of detecting just gaseous iron or vanadium signatures, we will be able to focus on biosigners, signs of life like water, oxygen and methane. The extensive knowledge about the environments of WASP-121B not only confirms the UltraHot character of the exoplanet, but also underlines the fact that this field of research is entering a new era," he said.
Whatever it is after years of cataloging, we're not just measuring anymore, we're really beginning to understand what the instrument data is showing us. The team's article was published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. Metal evaporated into the air of an ultra-hot exoplanet. An international team of researchers led by the National Center of Competence for Research Planets at the University of Bern and the University of Geneva studied the environments of the ultra-hot exoplanet WASP-121b.
In this he found many gaseous metals. The result is a next step in the exploration of a potentially habitable world. WASP-121b is an exoplanet located 850 light years from Earth, orbiting its star in less than two days, a process that takes one year for Earth to complete. WASP-121b is very close to its star, about 40 times closer than Earth's Sun. This proximity is also the main reason for its extremely high temperatures of 2,500 to 3,000 degrees Celsius.
It is an ideal study object to learn more about the ultra-hot world. Researchers led by Jens Hoijmakers at the National Center for Competence in Research Planets at the Universities of Bern and Geneva examined data collected by high-resolution HRPS spectrographs, first authors, and postdoctoral research fellows.
They were able to show that WASP-121b contains at least seven gaseous metals in the atmosphere. The results were recently published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. The Exoplanet WASP-121b environment has many things that happen unexpectedly. WASP-121b has been studied extensively since its discovery.
Previous studies have shown that a lot happens in their environment, explains Jens Hoijmakers. And this despite the fact that astronomers had assumed that ultra-hot planets have fairly simple atmospheres because many complex chemical compounds cannot form in such scorching heat. So how did WASP-121b have this unexpected complexity?
"Previous studies tried to explain these complex observations, which were not commendable to me," says Hoijmakers. The studies suspected that the relatively rare metal vanadium molecules were the main cause of the complex environment in WASP-121b. However, according to the Hoijmakers, this would only make sense when a more common metal was missing from the atmosphere, titanium.
So Hoijmakers and his colleagues set out to find another explanation. "But it turns out they were right," Hoeijmakers admits disproportionately. "To my surprise, we actually got a strong vanadium signature in the comments." At the same time, however, titanium was missing. This in turn confirms the notion of hoismmakers. Evaporated metals: But the team made other unexpected discoveries.
In addition to vanadium, they discovered six other metals in WASP-121b's atmosphere: iron, chromium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and nickel. "All metals evaporate as a result of the high temperatures prevailing in WASP-121b," say the Hoijmakers, "thus ensuring that the exoplanet's air contains evaporated metals, among other things." A new era in exoplanet research: such detailed results allow researchers to draw conclusions about the chemical processes that occur on such planets.
For example, this is an important skill for the not too distant future, when larger and more sensitive telescopes and spectrographs are developed. This will allow astronomers to study the properties of small, rocky, Earth-like planets. "With the same technology we use today, instead of detecting just gaseous iron or vanadium signatures, we will be able to focus on biosignores, signs of life like water, oxygen and methane," Hijijmakers said.
The extensive knowledge about the environments of WASP-121B not only confirms the superheated character of the exoplanet, but also underlines the fact that this field of research is entering a new era, as the Hoisemakers call it. He says: After years of cataloging, what the researchers are saying is, "But now we don't understand it," but we are really beginning to understand what the instrument data is showing us.
How the planets are alike and different from each other. In the same way, perhaps, as Charles Darwin began to develop the theory of evolution after marking countless species of animals, we are beginning to understand more about how these exoplanets form and function.
Reference: “Hot Atmosphere of Exoplanets Resolved with Transit Spectroscopy (HEARTS) - IV. A spectral inventory of atoms and molecules in the high-resolution transmission spectrum of WASP-121b by HJ Hoeijmakers, JV Seidel, L. Pino, D. Kitzmann, JP Sindel, D. Ehrennich, AV Oza, V. Bourrier, R. . Albert, a. Gebeck, c. Lovis, S.N. Yurchenko, b. Astudillo-Defru, d. Baylis, h. Acronym, b. Lovey, M. Lendl, c. Mello, F. Murgas, v. Naskembeni, f. Pepe, d. Segranson, yes. Udri, a. Wettenbach and Kay. Heng, September 18, 2020,
HARPS spectrograph exoplanetary investigation
The HARPS spectrograph is capable of detecting dim light from distant planets with obvious precision. Jens Hoijmaker explains: Atoms in the exoplanet's atmosphere absorb part of the light from each star. Therefore, each atom has a unique color absorbing part.
These fingerprints are captured on a sensitive spectrograph like HARPS and can be measured from the chemical composition of the exoplanet's atmosphere, even if they are several light years away.
The HARPS spectrograph was developed by a consortium led by the Geneva Observatory, which includes the Observatoire de Haute-Provence, the Institute of Physics at the University of Bern and the Seva d'Aéronomie in Paris.
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