Astronomers have analysed the environment of WASP-166 b, a scorching super-Neptune exoplanet, revealing the presence of water and carbon dioxide. Utilizing information from the James Webb Area 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 Ok, putting it throughout the scorching Neptune desert.
Findings from JWST Observations
As reported by phys.org, the JWST employed its Close to Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) and Close to Infrared Digital camera (NIRCam) to check WASP-166 b’s environment. 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 environment. Searches for compounds like carbon monoxide yielded no important outcomes.
Traits of WASP-166 and Its Planet
WASP-166, the host star of this exoplanet, belongs to the F9V spectral kind and is roughly 20 p.c bigger and extra huge than the solar. It’s 2.1 billion years previous, with a floor temperature of 6,050 Ok 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). Moreover, the planet’s excessive atmospheric metallicity of 1.57 was reported.
Explanations for Atmospheric Composition
It was urged that the atmospheric composition might be linked to planetesimal accretion, core erosion, or photoevaporation. Such findings contribute to understanding planetary formation and evolution, significantly inside areas like the new Neptune desert. The examine offers insights into the range of exoplanetary methods and their distinctive traits.
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