With its mirror parts properly aligned with its adjustable scientific equipment, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is just a few weeks away from fully functional. Shortly after the first sighting of the show this summer, Webb’s deep science will begin.
Among the first year-long research is the study of two thermal exoplanet classified as “super-Earths” by their size and rock formation: lava-covered 55 Cancri e and airless LHS 3844 b. Researchers will train Webb’s high-resolution spectrograph on these planets with the aim of understanding the geologic diversity of planets throughout the galaxy, as well as the emergence of rocky planets such as the Earth.
Super-Hot Super-Earth 55 Cancri e
The 55 Cancri e or travels less than 1.5 million miles from its Sun-like star (one-fifth of the distance between Mercury and the Sun), completes one region in less than 18 hours. Since temperatures are much higher than the melting point of normal mineral deposits, the sunny side of the planet is thought to be covered by a muddy sea.
The planets orbiting this near their star are thought to be well locked, with one side facing the star at all times. As a result, the hottest part of the earth should be the one facing the star directly, and the temperature from the sun’s surface should not change much over time.
But this does not seem to be the case. A 55 Cancri e observation from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope suggests that the hottest part is removed from the star-facing part, while the total amount of heat obtained on the side of the sun varies.
Is the 55 Cancri in the Dark Atmosphere?
One explanation for this is that the planet has a volatile atmosphere that causes heat to evaporate. “55 Cancri e can contain high oxygen content or nitrogen,” explains Renyu Hu of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, who leads a team that will use Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid -Infrared Instrument (MIRI). ) to capture the spectrum of the solar eclipse spectrum. “When it has space, [Webb] has sensitivity and wavelength to detect it and determine what it is made of,” added Hu.
Or is it raining tonight at 55 Cancri e?
Another interesting possibility, however, is that the 55 Cancri e is not properly locked. Instead, it may be similar to Mercury, circling three times on both lines (what is known as 3: 2 resonance). As a result, the planet would have a night-to-day cycle.
“That would explain why part of the hot planet is constantly evolving,” explains Alexis Brandeker, a researcher at Stockholm University who leads another planetary research team. “Like Earth, it would take time for the surface to heat up. The hottest time of the day would be afternoon, not daylight. ”
The Brandeker team plans to test this hypothesis using the NIRCam to measure the emissions from the bright side of 55 Cancri e between four different lines. If the planet has a 3: 2 resonance, it will look at each hemisphere twice and should be able to detect any differences between the hemispheres.
In this case, the surface can be hot, melted, and evaporated during the day, forming the smallest air that Webb can see. In the evening, the steam cools down and condenses to form droplets that return to the surface and solidify as night falls. Somehow Cooler Super-Earth LHS 3844 b
While 55 Cancri e will provide insight into the geology of the earth covered with mud, the LHS 3844 b offers a unique opportunity to analyze solid rock in the exoplanet space.
Like the 55 Cancri e, the LHS 3844 b orbits very close to its star, completing a single turn in 11 hours. However, because its star is small and cool, the planet is not hot enough to melt. Additionally, Spitzer observations show that the planet is far less likely to have a large universe.
What is the Surface of LHS 3844 b Made of What?
While we may not be able to capture the face of LHS 3844 b directly with Webb, the lack of blackness makes it possible to study the surface further by spectroscopy.
“It turns out that different types of rocks have different viewers,” explains Laura Kreidberg at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy. “You can see with your own eyes that gravel is lighter in color than basalt. There is a similar difference between infrared light emitting by rock. ”
The Kreidberg team will use MIRI to capture the emission spectrum of the solar side of LHS 3844 b, and then compare it with known spectra of known minerals, such as basalt and granite, to determine its composition. If a planet erupts as a result of a volcano, the spectrum may also reveal the presence of a small amount of volcanic gases.
The value of this observable extends beyond the more than 5,000 certified exoplanets in the galaxy. “They will give us new ideas about planets like Earth in general, which helps us to learn what the first Earth would have been like when it was as hot as today’s planets,” Kreidberg said.
This recognition of 55 Cancri e and LHS 3844 b will be conducted as part of the Webb’s Cycle 1 General Observers program. Standard Viewer Programs are competitively selected using a dual-anonymous review system, the same system used to allocate time to Hubble.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s leading space science observatory. Webb will solve mysteries in our solar system, look beyond the distant galaxies, and investigate the mysterious structures and origins of our universe. Webb is an international program led by NASA and its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.
For more read: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2022/geology-from-50-light-years-webb-gets-ready-to-study-rocky-worlds/
