An international team led by astronomers at Queenâs University Belfast has detected a new âchemical signatureâ in the atmosphere of a planet that orbits a star other than our Sun. It may ultimately lead to an answer to the question: âAre we alone?â
The discovery by researchers from QUB; the Astrobiology Center (ABC) of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences in Tokyo and Trinity College Dublin helps pave the way to probing atmospheres of smaller rocky planets resembling the Earth.
Exploration of the atmospheres of these âextrasolarâ planets assists in the search for Earth-like exoplanets and may provide an indication of the likelihood of life on other planets.
This double mutant variant is adding fuel to India s COVID-19 crisis
While its spread in India is worrying, preliminary studies show vaccines are still effective against the viral newcomer.
BySanjay Mishra
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Human behavior is probably more to blame for the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic than the new mutants arising around the country. But the combination of these two is proving catastrophic.
“The major factor in the spread of the virus is the behavior of the people. Spread of the virus is largely because of us not taking care of each other. Variants are just taking advantage of our carelessness,” says Rakesh Mishra, director of the Indian Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology.
First ever hydroxyl radical detected in ‘ultra-hot Jupiter’ atmosphere
Artist’s impression of an ultra-hot Jupiter exoplanet, WASP-33b. Image: Astrobiology Center
Astronomers used a new instrument to detect hydroxyl radical in the atmosphere of WASP-33b, the exoplanet known as ‘ultra-hot Jupiter’.
An international team of astronomers have detected a new chemical signature in the atmosphere of an exoplanet.
The team, which includes researchers from Trinity College Dublin and Queen’s University Belfast, found the first direct evidence of a hydroxyl radical (OH) in the atmosphere of a planet outside the solar system.
An OH is a type of free radical and the neutral form of the hydroxide ion. It is a highly reactive species that attack most of the organic molecules.
Astronomers detect first ever hydroxyl molecule signature in an exoplanet atmosphere eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Astronomers Detect New Chemical Signature in an Exoplanet’s Atmosphere
April 27th 2021, 1:08 pm
This planet is a so-called ultra-hot Jupiter, a gas-giant planet orbiting its host star much closer than Mercury orbits the sun
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An international collaboration of astronomers led by a researcher from the Astrobiology Center and Queen’s University Belfast has detected a new chemical signature in the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet i.e., a planet that orbits a star other than our sun.
The hydroxyl radical (OH) was found on the dayside of the exoplanet WASP-33b. This planet is a so-called ‘ultra-hot Jupiter,” a gas-giant planet orbiting its host star much closer than Mercury orbits the sun (Figure 1) and therefore reaching atmospheric temperatures of more than 2500 degrees C (hot enough to melt most metals).