2024-06-26 12:23:17
Numerous hypotheses have revolved round this planet. A number of years in the past it was thought that it was an “aquatic world” surrounded by supercritical water molecules, or that it was a planet surrounded by an expansive and primordial ambiance composed primarily of hydrogen and helium. Nonetheless, these concepts had been discarded.
Earlier than the latest observations, two theories remained: one which advised that it was a totally dry planet with an ultrathin ambiance of vaporized rocks, whereas the opposite indicated that it had an environment of heavier molecules that might not be simply dispersed. by stellar winds, that’s, the stream of gases expelled from the higher ambiance of a star.
Comparability of the dimensions of the exoplanet with Earth and Jupiter. Picture: NASA, ESA, CSA, Dani Participant (STScI)
With the analyzes of the group of astronomers, this final speculation was confirmed. “I’ve been engaged on this planet for greater than a decade,” stated Diana Dragomir, exoplanet researcher on the College of New Mexico and co-author of the examine. “It has been actually irritating that not one of the observations we have been receiving have solidly resolved these mysteries. “I am delighted that we’re lastly getting some solutions.”
For the second, the group of scientists will proceed to analyze how the ambiance interacts with the supplies beneath the planet’s floor, since it’s possible that the gases within the ambiance are being replenished by the fusion and degassing of rocks within the magma ocean.