TRAPPIST-1c Isn’t the Exo-Venus We Were Hoping For. But Don’t Blame the Star

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According to a recent study, the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1c is not the exo-Venus that some astronomers had hoped for. However, the study suggests that the star is not to blame

TRAPPIST-1c is nearly the same size and mass as Venus, and some astronomers thought it might have a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere. However, the planet orbits a red dwarf star, which is highly active and emits intense radiation. 

TRAPPIST-1c has temperatures of 110 degrees Celsius, which is about 390 degrees cooler than Venus. The infrared light that TRAPPIST-1c emits also does not match an atmosphere rich with carbon dioxide. 

TRAPPIST-1c has a lower carbon content than Earth or Venus. It also receives about twice as much stellar irradiation as Earth, and is either in or has been a runaway greenhouse.

A recent study published in The Astrophysical Journal used computer models to investigate why the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1c doesn’t have a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere. The study suggests that the star isn’t to blame. 

TRAPPIST-1c is almost the same size and mass as Venus, so some astronomers thought it might have a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere. However, the planet orbits a red dwarf star, which emits intense radiation. 

Here are some other reasons why TRAPPIST-1c isn’t the exo-Venus that some astronomers had hoped for: 

  • Temperature TRAPPIST-1c has temperatures of 110 degrees Celsius, which is about 390 degrees cooler than Venus. 
  • Infrared light The infrared light that TRAPPIST-1c emits doesn’t match an atmosphere rich with carbon dioxide like that of Venus. 
  • Carbon content TRAPPIST-1c has a lower carbon content than Earth or Venus. 
  • Stellar irradiation TRAPPIST-1c receives about twice as much stellar irradiation as Earth, so it’s either in or has been a runaway greenhouse

The major takeaway from this study is that long-term stellar wind stripping in the TRAPPIST system is not strong enough to remove a large CO2 atmosphere from TRAPPIST-1c, and, therefore, TRAPPIST-1c has likely been carbon-deficient for most of its lifetime,”

In 2018, astronomers determined that TRAPPIST-1c is rock-based, but they couldn’t confirm the presence of an atmosphere. In 2023, observations from the James Webb Space Telescope ruled out a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere like that of Venus

TRAPPIST-1c is a rocky exoplanet with a mass of 1.156 Earth masses and a radius of 1.095 Earth radii. It has a temperature of 110 degrees Celsius, which is about 390 degrees cooler than Venus. The infrared light that TRAPPIST-1c emits also doesn’t match an atmosphere rich with carbon dioxide like that of Venus

TRAPPIST-1 c is slightly larger than Earth, but has around the same density, which indicates that it must have a rocky composition. Webb’s measurement of 15-micron mid-infrared light emitted by TRAPPIST-1 c suggests that the planet has either a bare rocky surface or a very thin carbon dioxide atmosphere

In 2023, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) ruled out a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere for the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1c. The JWST is the largest and most powerful space telescope ever built. It is designed to study infrared astronomy, and can observe objects that are too distant, faint, or old for the Hubble Space Telescope

The JWST’s observations of TRAPPIST-1c’s secondary eclipse indicate that the planet has a different atmosphere than Venus. The planet may have a thin atmosphere with minimal carbon dioxide, or it may be a bare rock with no atmosphere. 

TRAPPIST-1c is roughly the same size and mass as Venus, and receives the same amount of radiation from its star. However, the planet may have formed with very little water

Webb’s measurement of 15-micron mid-infrared light emitted by TRAPPIST-1 c suggests that the planet has either a bare rocky surface or a very thin carbon dioxide atmosphere. Full Image Details. Researchers observed TRAPPIST-1 c on four occasions using the telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument

In 2023, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) announced that it ruled out a thick carbon dioxide atmosphere for the exoplanet TRAPPIST-1c. The planet is slightly larger than Earth but has a similar density, indicating a rocky composition. The JWST’s measurements of mid-infrared light suggest that the planet has either a thin carbon dioxide atmosphere or a bare rocky surface

The absence of a thick, carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere suggests that TRAPPIST-1c has a relatively volatile-poor formation history, with less than Earth’s oceans of water. 

The JWST is designed to learn more about the atmospheres of extrasolar planets and may even find the building blocks of life elsewhere in the universe

An international team of researchers has used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to calculate the amount of heat energy coming from the rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 c. The result suggests that the planet’s atmosphere – if it exists at all – is extremely thin

Yes, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can detect and provide data for models of the composition and structure of exoplanet atmospheres. The JWST can also detect exoplanets and analyze their atmospheres

The JWST’s ability to see infrared light allows it to complete the picture of exoplanet atmospheres. The JWST also made the first identification of sulfur dioxide in an exoplanet’s atmosphere. 

To measure the atmosphere of an exoplanet, astronomers observe the transit of the exoplanet as it passes in front of its star. This causes a small dimming effect on the measured starlight which corresponds to the relative size of the planet

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) can detect gases in the atmospheres of exoplanets by breaking down light into its colors. Different chemicals in the atmosphere absorb different colors of the starlight spectrum. The colors that are missing tell astronomers which molecules are present

The JWST can see infrared light, which lies beyond what human eyes and most space telescopes can see. This allows it to pick up chemical fingerprints that can’t be detected in visible light. 

The JWST’s NIRSpec instrument is a highly sensitive spectrograph that splits incoming light into barcode-like spectra that reveal how the observed objects absorb light

In 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) captured the first clear evidence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system. The JWST’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) captured a transmission spectrum of the gas giant exoplanet WASP-39b on July 10, 2022. The data showed a distinct peak between 4.1 and 4.6 microns, which is the first clear evidence of carbon dioxide in a planet outside the solar system

Carbon dioxide is a key chemical species found in many planetary atmospheres. In the context of exoplanets, carbon dioxide indicates the metal enrichment and formation processes of the primary atmospheres of hot gas giants. 

Carbon dioxide can also be identified by shaking or bubbling it through an aqueous solution of calcium hydroxide (limewater). The limewater will turn milky (cloudy

(Full article source google)

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