Astronomers Discover Water and Carbon Dioxide in WASP-166 b’s Atmosphere

Astronomers have analysed the ambiance of WASP-166 b, a scorching super-Neptune exoplanet, revealing the presence of water and carbon dioxide. Using information from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the observations additionally detected ammonia in smaller portions. WASP-166 b is located roughly 368 light-years away and is about seven instances bigger and 32 instances heavier than Earth. The planet, orbiting its host star each 5.44 days at a distance of 0.067 AU, has an estimated equilibrium temperature of 1,270 Okay, putting it inside the scorching Neptune desert.

Findings from JWST Observations

As reported by phys.org, the JWST employed its Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) and Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) to check WASP-166 b’s ambiance. These observations highlighted water and carbon dioxide as dominant parts within the spectrum, alongside weak traces of ammonia and cloud deck stress. Helium and hydrogen, in a primordial photo voltaic ratio, are believed to compose the remaining ambiance. Searches for compounds like carbon monoxide yielded no vital outcomes.

Characteristics of WASP-166 and Its Planet

WASP-166, the host star of this exoplanet, belongs to the F9V spectral sort and is roughly 20 % bigger and extra large than the solar. It is 2.1 billion years outdated, with a floor temperature of 6,050 Okay and a metallicity of 0.19 dex. The planetary carbon-to-oxygen ratio of WASP-166 b was calculated to be 0.282, considerably decrease than each the host star (0.41) and the solar (0.55). Additionally, the planet’s excessive atmospheric metallicity of 1.57 was reported.

Explanations for Atmospheric Composition

It was urged that the atmospheric composition may very well be linked to planetesimal accretion, core erosion, or photoevaporation. Such findings contribute to understanding planetary formation and evolution, notably inside areas like the recent Neptune desert. The examine supplies insights into the variety of exoplanetary programs and their distinctive traits.