Astronomers are peering into the atmosphere of exoplanets beyond the solar system, mapping 3D structures for the first time.
By combining all four telescope units of the very large telescope (ESO’s VLT) of the European Southern Observatory, we discover powerful winds carrying chemical elements such as iron and titanium, and create complex weather patterns throughout the exoplanet atmosphere. I’ve created it.
This discovery opens the door for a detailed study of the chemical composition and weather of other alien worlds.
“This exoplanet atmosphere behaves in a way that challenges understanding of how weather works not only on Earth, but on all planets. A researcher at Chile’s Southern Observatory (ESO) , lead author of the study, Julia Victoria Seidel commented:
The exoplanet atmosphere reveals clear wind
The X-Planet, WASP-121B (also known as Tyros), is about 900 light years away from the constellations puppy. It’s a very hot Jupiter and a gas giant that orbits the host star very closely, so a year only lasts around 30 Earth times.
Furthermore, one side of the planet is burnt. It is always facing the star, so the other side is much cooler.
The team is now being investigated deep inside Tylos’ atmosphere, with separate winds revealed in separate layers, forming a map of the 3D structure of the atmosphere. This is the first time an astronomer has been able to study the atmosphere of an exoplanet with such depth and detail.
Seidel explained: “We were surprised that the Jet River rotates material around the planet’s equator, while another flow at a lower level in the atmosphere moves the gas from the hot side to the cold side.
“We’ve never seen this kind of climate on any planet.”
The observed jet stream spans half the planet, gaining speed and vigorously moves the atmosphere of the sky as it crosses the hot side of Tyros.
3D materials allow for deep weather observations
To reveal the 3D structure of the Exoplanet atmosphere, the team used espresso instruments at ESO’s VLT to combine the light from four large telescope units into a single signal.
This combination mode of VLT collects 4 times the light of an individual telescope unit and reveals the details of the feinder. Espresso was able to detect signatures of multiple chemical elements by observing the planet’s complete passage in front of the host star, resulting in different layers of the atmosphere.
“The scientists of the Institute of Space Telescope Science in Baltimore, USA,” said Leonardo dos Santos, an assistant astronomer at the Institute of Space Telescope Science in Baltimore, USA.
“It’s a very challenging observation for space telescopes, highlighting the importance of ground-based observations on exoplanets.”
Some amazing discoveries
The team tracked the movement of iron, sodium and hydrogen, thereby tracking winds in deep, medium and shallow layers of the de-extracted atmosphere, respectively.
Interestingly, observations revealed the presence of titanium just below the jet stream, as highlighted in companion studies published in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
This was another surprise, as previous observations of the planet showed that this element was absent, and perhaps hidden deep within the atmosphere.
“We are a doctoral student at Lund University in Sweden, and Bibiana Prinoth, who led ESO,” said: Companion study.
In the future, larger telescopes will be needed to discover the atmosphere of planets like Earth. It currently includes the ESO’s extremely large telescope (ELT) under construction in Chile’s Atacama Desert and its Andean instruments.
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