Lava could light up the James Webb Space Telescope’s search for watery exoplanets

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One way to find water worlds beyond our solar system could be to look for minerals — or more specifically, to study minerals mixed with cool lava on exoplanet surfaces. This is because if water comes into contact with fresh lava that’s in the process of cooling, it can spur the formation of specific minerals within the lava. So, find those minerals, and you may be getting close to the water that formed them — whether that water lies on an exoplanet’s surface or is hidden underground.

As such, a team of researchers recently built a database concerning how certain minerals in cooled lava on an exoplanet might reveal themselves to one of astronomy’s most powerful instruments: the James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is designed to detect infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye. While lava can emit infrared radiation, it’s not the only source of such radiation in space. The JWST is able to filter out background noise and focus on specific wavelengths of infrared light, allowing it to detect faint objects like distant galaxies and exoplanets.
However, lava can be a valuable tool for astronomers studying exoplanets. By analyzing the infrared light emitted by lava on an exoplanet’s surface, scientists can learn about the planet’s composition and geological history. For example, the presence of certain minerals in lava can indicate the presence of water, which is a key ingredient for life as we know it.
So, while lava itself won’t “light up” the JWST, it can provide valuable information that helps scientists understand the universe around us.

James Webb telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a powerful space telescope that has revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Here’s a brief overview:
Key Features:

  • Infrared Telescope: It’s designed to observe the universe in infrared light, allowing it to see through cosmic dust and peer deeper into space than ever before.
  • Large Mirror: Its primary mirror, composed of 18 hexagonal segments, has a collecting area significantly larger than Hubble’s, enabling it to gather more light.
  • Sun Shield: A tennis court-sized sunshield protects the telescope from the Sun’s heat, keeping its instruments at extremely cold temperatures.
    Scientific Goals:
  • Study the Early Universe: Observe the first galaxies that formed after the Big Bang.
  • Explore Exoplanets: Analyze the atmospheres of distant planets to search for signs of life.
  • Investigate Star and Planet Formation: Witness the birth of stars and planetary systems.
  • Study the Evolution of Galaxies: Observe how galaxies change over time.
    Achievements:
    Since its launch in December 2021, JWST has already made groundbreaking discoveries, including:
  • Capturing Deepest Images of the Universe: Revealing galaxies that formed billions of years ago.
  • Analyzing Exoplanet Atmospheres: Detecting water vapor and other molecules in the atmospheres of distant planets.
  • Observing Star Formation: Witnessing the birth of stars in stunning detail.
    Future Potential:
    The JWST is expected to continue pushing the boundaries of astronomy for years to come, providing us with unprecedented insights into the cosmos.
    Additional Resources:
  • NASA’s Official Website: https://webbtelescope.org/
  • Can the James Webb telescope see exoplanets?



    Webb also carries coronagraphs to enable direct imaging of exoplanets near bright stars. The image of an exoplanet would just be a spot, not a grand panorama, but by studying that spot, we can learn a great deal about it. That includes its color, differences between winter and summer, vegetation, rotation, weather…

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