The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has found evidence of carbon molecules, possibly in the atmosphere of an ocean world. an extrasolar planet or outer planetKnown as K2–18 b, it is an exciting target for astronomers looking for life outside the solar system, as previous studies and observations with the Hubble Space Telescope suggest the planet could have an ocean or a “Hycean world” filled with liquid water. — is vital to life. It is an important component for life. K2–18 b has a radius two to three times larger than that of Earth and is located 120 light-years from the Solar System.

The new results showed traces of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere of K2-18 b; but no ammonia was detected; This likely indicates a water ocean beneath a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.

“Our results highlight the importance of considering a variety of habitable environments in the search for life elsewhere,” Nikku Madhusudhan, the study’s lead author and a University of Cambridge scientist, said in a statement. said. “Traditionally, the search for life on exoplanets has focused mainly on smaller rocky planets, but the larger Hyckeian worlds are much more amenable to atmospheric observations.”

Its mass is approximately 8.6 times larger located in the earthly and living zone K2–18 b, a region of a cool star (a region that is neither too hot nor too cold to host liquid water), is an example of a planet about the size of Earth to the Sun. Frost Giant System Neptune. These worlds are called “sub-Neptunes” and are unlike any of the planets in the Solar System, making them a mystery to astronomers who are currently debating the nature of their atmospheres. This research will help lift the veil surrounding the atmosphere and environmental conditions of both sub-Neptune and sub-Neptune. walkwithwhose worlds.

Is this proof of the existence of life outside the solar system?

In addition to detecting carbon molecules, the JWST results also revealed the possible presence of something potentially more fascinating in K2-18 b’s atmosphere.

A space telescope appears to have detected dimethyl sulfide (DMS), which is produced on Earth only as a byproduct of life, mostly by phytoplankton. The team is cautious about this detection, which is much less reliable than the presence of carbon molecules. “Future Webb observations will be able to confirm whether DMS is indeed present at significant levels in the atmosphere of K2-18 b,” Madhusudhan explained.

This sense of caution should be applied to the K2-18b findings in general when it comes to speculation about extraterrestrial life. Even if a planet has an ocean of liquid water and an atmosphere containing carbon molecules, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has life or that life could exist on an exoplanet.

Since the planet is about 2.6 times the width of Earth, the planet’s size means that it contains high-pressure ice at its core, similar to Neptune, but has a thinner atmosphere and ocean surface. This means liquid water could boil on the planet and the oceans could become too hot for life.

How the James Webb Space Telescope saw the ocean world

Predicting the composition of the atmospheres of distant worlds such as K2–18 b is a difficult task because the light reflected from their atmospheres is very faint compared to that of their parents. stars. Madhusudhan and his team did this for K2–18 b while waiting for the planet to pass across the face of its star from JWST’s vantage point. This means that the parent star’s light passes directly through the planet’s atmosphere.

Chemical elements and compounds absorb and emit light at specific and characteristic wavelengths; This means that when they are in a planet’s atmosphere, they leave a characteristic “trail” on starlight (the “spectrums” of the star) as they pass through that atmosphere.

“This result was possible due to the extended wavelength range and unprecedented sensitivity of JWST, which enabled reliable detection of spectral features in just two passes,” explained Madhusudhan. “In comparison, one JWST transit observation provided sensitivity comparable to eight Hubble observations over several years and in a relatively narrow wavelength range.”

The team’s findings mirror data collected by JWST during just two passes of K2-18 b over the host star. More observations of the exoplanet will be made, but the team behind these discoveries believes that what they have seen so far is already evidence of JWST’s power, as just one pass can provide as much data as Hubble can receive in eight such passes.

The team will now continue to observe K2-18 b with JWST and the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), specifically seeking to confirm their findings as well as gather more information about the exoplanet’s environmental conditions.

“Our ultimate goal is to discover life on a habitable exoplanet, which will change our understanding of our place on Earth.” UniverseMadhusudhan concluded. “Our discoveries are a promising step in this quest towards a deeper understanding of the Hykean worlds.”