The infrared photos of carbon dioxide were captured in the planet system HR8799, located 130 light-years away. Carbon dioxide, a key component for life processes like photosynthesis, plays an important role in planetary atmospheres. The images also show the system’s giant planets formed like Saturn and Jupiter, through core accretion. In the process of core accretion the planet collects solid chunks and then accumulating gas to itself.
“By spotting these strong carbon dioxide features, we have shown there is a sizable fraction of heavier elements, like carbon, oxygen, and iron, in these planets’ atmospheres. Given what we know about the star they orbit, that likely indicates they formed via core accretion, which is an exciting conclusion for planets that we can directly observe,” says William Balmer of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
This discovery is significant because HR8799 is a relatively young system, at only about 30 million years old. This means the system gives off a lot of infrared light, providing researchers with a perfect example of planetary formation in action. The infrared light allows scientists to study the planets’ atmospheres in detail, explaining their chemical composition and the processes that shaped them. By observing this early stage of planetary development, scientists can gain valuable insights into how planets form around other stars.
In conclusion, the detection of carbon dioxide and other heavier elements in the atmospheres of the planets in the HR8799 system offers important evidence for the process of core accretion. This discovery not only enhances our understanding of how giant planets form but also opens up new possibilities for studying exoplanets in far systems. The HR8799 system provides a rare opportunity to observe planetary formation in real-time, allowing researchers to refine their models and better understand the complex processes that shape planetary systems across the universe.
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https://phys.org/news/2025-03-jwst-captures-images-carbon-dioxide.html
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