Optical band signals can be used as probes for detecting hot Jupiter atmospheric escape

Latest Discovery and InnovationKunming, Science and Technology Daily, February 18 (reporter Zhao Hanbin, correspondent Chen Yan) The reporter learned from the Yunnan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the 18th that the observatory, in cooperation with researchers at the University of Arizona in the United States, found that signals in the optical band can be used as probes to detect the atmospheric escape of hot Jupiter. The internationally renowned journal "Astrophysical Journal Express" published this achievement

Latest Discovery and Innovation

Kunming, Science and Technology Daily, February 18 (reporter Zhao Hanbin, correspondent Chen Yan) The reporter learned from the Yunnan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the 18th that the observatory, in cooperation with researchers at the University of Arizona in the United States, found that signals in the optical band can be used as probes to detect the atmospheric escape of hot Jupiter. The internationally renowned journal "Astrophysical Journal Express" published this achievement.

As early as 2003, people observed signals in the far ultraviolet band and found that cooler hydrogen atoms in the low energy state of the hot Jupiter atmosphere near the main star escaped outward in a violent form. This escape can have a serious impact on planetary evolution.

In recent years, people have successfully detected weak absorption signals generated by hotter hydrogen atoms in the planetary atmosphere when obstructing the main star in the optical band, such as the transmission spectrum of hydrogen in the optical band, "said researcher Guo Jianheng from Yunnan Observatory. However, researchers have always lacked a strong model to demonstrate the relationship between the absorption signals generated by these hotter hydrogen atoms and atmospheric escape.

Guo Jianheng collaborated with doctoral students Yan Dongdong and Dr. Huang Chenliang from the University of Arizona to simulate the optical transmission spectra of hot Jupiter WASP-121b at different observation times based on the self-developed fluid dynamics escape atmosphere model and radiation transfer model. After carefully calculating the distribution of cold and hot hydrogen atoms, they simulated the optical transmission spectra of WASP-121b at different observation times. Research shows that there is a huge amount of escaping neutral hydrogen gas around this planet, with an annual loss of 10 trillion tons of material. Among these substances ejected by planets, the velocity of hot hydrogen atoms is faster than that of sound, causing absorption in the optical band. This also indicates that signals in the optical band can be used as probes for detecting atmospheric escape.

Further research has found that the changes in absorption levels of planetary atmospheres at different times reflect the different activity characteristics of the host star, and stronger activity levels of stars can lead to deeper absorption of planetary atmospheres. This discovery helps to better understand the impact of host star activity on planetary atmospheric escape.

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