The James Webb Space Telescope first detected "sulfur dioxide" on a planet orbiting a star 700 light years away from Earth.
Sulfur dioxide is not a direct evidence of the existence of life, but it is significant in that the space telescope has identified gases above molecular units that accurately show the properties of matter. The key to determining whether life can exist on exoplanets is the components of the atmosphere, which proved to be more detailed than ever before by the James Webb Telescope. NASA plans to expand the scope of the James Webb telescope to other planets.
NASA announced the results of a survey of the atmosphere of a planet called WASP-39b, which orbits a star 700 light years away from Earth.
The James Webb telescope observed the planet's atmosphere and examined the composition and chemical movements of atoms as well as molecules. Earlier, the Hubble Space Telescope also observed WASP-39b, but its performance was insufficient to make such a total observation in molecular abnormalities. Matter must be able to look into more than a molecular unit to understand its properties. The astronomical community believes that the overall observational performance of the James Webb telescope is 100 times greater than that of the Hubble telescope.
According to observations by the James Webb Telescope, NASA discovered that the planet has sulfur dioxide (SO2) in its atmosphere. This is the first time that sulfur dioxide has been identified in the atmosphere of an alien planet.
The researchers believe sulfur dioxide was caused by a "photochemical reaction" by starlight. This happens on Earth, too. The ozone layer, a thin film that blocks ultraviolet rays in the stratosphere, was formed by photochemical reactions. However, oxygen is the material that creates the ozone layer through photochemical reactions on Earth.
Xiangmin, a researcher at Oxford University who led the study, predicted according to NASA's official data and said, "This observation mission will serve as an opportunity to enhance our understanding of the extraterrestrial planet atmosphere in the future." The James Webb telescope observed the atmosphere of WASP-39b and found not only sulfur dioxide but also sodium and potassium, especially water vapor.
However, the scientific community estimates that it will be difficult for life to live in WASP-39b. Based on life on Earth, sulfur dioxide is not a gas that directly supports the existence of life like oxygen.
In particular, the researchers called WASP-39b a "hot Saturn," which means a high-temperature giant gas planet. In fact, the planet is only one-eighth of the distance between the Sun and Mercury. The surface temperature reaches 900 degrees.
Radiation is also a problem if it is close to a star. The researchers said, "We can explore the effect of radiation from the central star on external planets."
The discovery of sulfur dioxide on extraterrestrial planets is important because this technology has proven that the atmosphere of extraterrestrial planets is made up of exactly what gases. This means that in the future, every gas directly related to the existence of life can be caught with the technology of the James Webb Telescope. Regarding the possibility of existence of life, the researchers explained, "We will start exploring the atmosphere of small rock planets in the future."
Writer: Youngjun Kim
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