Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory super-large telescope were surprised to find barium in the atmosphere of two exoplanets, , the heaviest element found in the exoplanet atmosphere so far.
The two planets are named WASP-76b and WASP-121b, respectively, and are called Hot Jupiter —or in this case super hot—because they are gas giants, the size is comparable to the original Jupiter in the solar system.
According to a paper on the work published this week in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, the equilibrium temperatures on both planets rose to nearly 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit. These planets are close enough to their system's stars, so their orbital period is only two days. Due to its close distance, its temperature is very high, and researchers believe that there are liquid iron and precious gems on 76b, while the clouds on 121b are believed to be made of metal.
According to a press release, astronomers' discovery was almost accidental and they had to check again whether their discovery was actually from the planet.
To detect and confirm the existence of barium, the research team used a rock exoplanet and stable spectral observation ladder spectrometer (ESPRESSO), a so-called "planetary hunter" instrument on VLTh.
Although these exoplanets may be peculiar, it does not explain what happens in their atmospheres like barium—2.5 times heavier than iron.
Given the high gravity of these planets, we expect heavy elements such as barium to quickly fall into the lower layers of the atmosphere,” said Demangeon, a co-author of the paper and a researcher at the University of Porto and the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences, in a press release. “At present, we are not sure what the mechanism is,” Demangeon acknowledged that
is an amazing discovery, not to mention that it proves that we have much to know about these fascinating alien worlds.
