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Hu R, Bello-Arufe A, Zhang M, Paragas K, Zilinskas M, van Buchem C, Bess M, Patel J, Ito Y, Damiano M, Scheucher M, Oza AV, Knutson HA, Miguel Y, Dragomir D, Brandeker A, Demory BO. A secondary atmosphere on the rocky exoplanet 55 Cancri e. Nature 2024; 630:609-612. [PMID: 38718834 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07432-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Characterizing rocky exoplanets is a central aim of astronomy, and yet the search for atmospheres on rocky exoplanets has so far resulted in either tight upper limits on the atmospheric mass1-3 or inconclusive results4-6. The 1.95REarth and 8.8MEarth planet 55 Cancri e (abbreviated 55 Cnc e), with a predominantly rocky composition and an equilibrium temperature of around 2,000 K, may have a volatile envelope (containing molecules made from a combination of C, H, O, N, S and P elements) that accounts for up to a few percent of its radius7-13. The planet has been observed extensively with transmission spectroscopy14-22 and its thermal emission has been measured in broad photometric bands23-26. These observations disfavour a primordial H2/He-dominated atmosphere but cannot conclusively determine whether the planet has a secondary atmosphere27,28. Here we report a thermal emission spectrum of the planet obtained by the NIRCam and MIRI instruments aboard the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) from 4 to 12 μm. The measurements rule out the scenario in which the planet is a lava world shrouded by a tenuous atmosphere made of vaporized rock29-32 and indicate a bona fide volatile atmosphere that is probably rich in CO2 or CO. This atmosphere can be outgassed from and sustained by a magma ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renyu Hu
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
| | - Aaron Bello-Arufe
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Michael Zhang
- Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kimberly Paragas
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Mantas Zilinskas
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Michael Bess
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jayshil Patel
- Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yuichi Ito
- Division of Science, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), Mitaka, Japan
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mario Damiano
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Markus Scheucher
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Apurva V Oza
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Heather A Knutson
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Yamila Miguel
- SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Diana Dragomir
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Alexis Brandeker
- Department of Astronomy, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Brice-Olivier Demory
- Center for Space and Habitability, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Space Research and Planetary Sciences, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Knoll P, Ouyang B, Steinbock O. Patterns Lead the Way to Far-from-Equilibrium Materials. ACS PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY AU 2024; 4:19-30. [PMID: 38283788 PMCID: PMC10811769 DOI: 10.1021/acsphyschemau.3c00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
The universe is a complex fabric of repeating patterns that unfold their beauty in system-specific diversity. The periodic table, crystallography, and the genetic code are classic examples that illustrate how even a small number of rules generate a vast range of shapes and structures. Today, we are on the brink of an AI-driven revolution that will reveal an unprecedented number of novel patterns, many of which will escape human intuition and expertise. We suggest that in the second half of the 21st century, the challenge for Physical Chemistry will be to guide and interpret these advances in the broader context of physical sciences and materials-related engineering. If we succeed in this role, Physical Chemistry will be able to extend to new horizons. In this article, we will discuss examples that strike us as particularly promising, specifically the discovery of high-entropy and far-from-equilibrium materials as well as applications to origins-of-life research and the search for life on other planets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Knoll
- School
of Physics and Astronomy, Institute for Condensed Matter and Complex
Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FD, U.K.
| | - Bin Ouyang
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
| | - Oliver Steinbock
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida State
University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4390, United States
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