An international team of scientists has used the James Webb Space Telescope to uncover the complexity hidden within SIMP 0136. The previously observed brightness variations in SIMP-0136 cannot be explained solely by cloud cover. A combination of factors such as temperature fluctuations, patchy clouds and carbon chemistry are at work.
What is SIMP 0136? SIMP 0136, located 20 light years away, is 13 times as massive as Jupiter. It rotates quickly, with one rotation every 2.4 hour. It is the brightest object in the sky of any gas giant, despite not being orbited by a star. This makes it ideal for studying the atmospheres, as it does not interfere with starlight. Researchers detected new atmospheric features using infrared measurements collected during two rotations:
- patchy clouds, made of silicate and iron particles at various depths.
- The hot spots are linked to changes in temperature and auroras. Other clouds indicated that they were silicate clouds and contributed to the brightness variation. The light reflected from high-altitude clouds may have been a reflection of temperature variations, perhaps linked to auroras and hot gases rising deeper in the atmosphere.
- Variations in carbon chemistry: Carbon monoxide, and even dioxide appears to move around. This suggests dynamic chemical processes.
Webb Telescope’s NIRSpec instrument and MIRI captured detailed data in the near-infrared during two complete rotations. NIRSpec collected thousands of light spectrums every 1.8 second over a period of three hours. MIRI collected hundreds of measurements each 19.2 seconds. The result was hundreds of light curvatures, which showed brightness variations at different wavelengths when the various parts of an object rotated. Johanna Vos, lead researcher at the University of Amsterdam (19659010) called these results revolutionary. They revealed dynamic changes in atmospheric conditions that had never been seen before. Team members observed different patterns – some wavelengths became brighter and others darker – indicating that multiple factors affect brightness. Philip Muirhead, a co-researcher, compared the phenomenon to Earth’s surface from space. Different colors revealed details like vegetation or oceans. These findings show the complex nature of SIMP 0136’s atmosphere.
What is the significance? This discovery improves our understanding of the planets within and outside our solar system. This graphic is divided into two sections. The light curves on the left show the brightness change of three near-infrared sets over time. The cross-sectional view of an object’s atmospheric structure shows the wavelengths, their altitude and the relationship between them. Credit: NASA ESA CSA J. Olmsted STScI
It’s as if you were watching Earth far away. Every color reveals a new aspect of its atmosphere. The discovery of a mysterious group of planets that float freely in space
Although many mysteries still remain such as what the role of the atmosphere chemistry is, this research shows the complexity of SIMP 0136. This study may also help us interpret exoplanet data in the future. This breakthrough, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters in 19659016, shows the ability of the James Webb Telescope to unravel the unknowns in the universe.
It’s interesting that certain brightness patterns could not be explained by cloud or temperature. They pointed instead to dynamic carbon chemistry such as rotating pocket of carbon dioxide or monoxide, or changing chemical reaction. Vos, the lead scientist noted that this finding highlights how atmospheric conditions vary on an object. This adds complexity to exoplanets.
Journal Reference:
- Allison M. McCarthy, Johanna M. Vos, Philip S. Muirhead, Beth A. Biller et al. The JWST Weather Report From the Isolated Exoplanet Simp 0136+0933 : Pressure-dependent Variability Driven By Multiple Mechanisms The Astrophysical Journal Letters (19459012) DOI 10.3847/2041-8213/ad9eaf
