SE Valley Times

Arizona State University researchers have contributed significantly to understanding the warm gas-giant exoplanet WASP-107b. This planet has been a subject of interest due to its unusual characteristics, which have been further illuminated by recent findings using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope.

A key discovery about WASP-107b is the unexpected lack of methane in its atmosphere. This finding suggests a hotter interior and a more massive core than previously thought. Luis Welbanks, a NASA Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow at ASU, is the lead author of a paper published in Nature that details these findings. "Based on its radius, mass, age and assumed internal temperature, we thought WASP-107b had a very small, rocky core surrounded by a huge mass of hydrogen and helium," Welbanks said.

The high temperature within WASP-107b is believed to result from tidal heating caused by its slightly noncircular orbit. Analysis conducted by Welbanks and his team with data from the Hubble Space Telescope provides insights into the planet's composition and dynamics. Contrary to earlier assumptions, the inflated atmosphere results from internal heat and tidal forces rather than extreme formation scenarios.

Discovered in 2017, WASP-107b has become an important subject for studying low-density exoplanets. The research reveals valuable information about planetary evolution and atmospheric dynamics through advanced spectroscopic techniques. Notably, it marks the first simultaneous detection of carbon-, oxygen-, nitrogen-, and sulfur-bearing molecules in a transiting exoplanet.

Mike Line, associate professor at ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration, commented on these findings: "The Webb data tells us that planets like WASP-107b didn't have to form in some odd way with a super small core and a huge gassy envelope."

This research highlights the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing exoplanetary science. The work done by ASU researchers with support from NASA's telescopes has been crucial in enhancing our understanding of such celestial bodies.