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NASA Finds Evidence of Carbon Dioxide in Exoplanet Atmosphere

时间：2022-10-05 22:59:14

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NASA Finds Evidence of Carbon Dioxide in Exoplanet Atmosphere

The newly deployed1 James Webb Space Telescope has discovered the first clear evidence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system.

The American space agency NASA confirmed the evidence, which it said was discovered in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a star about 700 light years from Earth. Planets that orbit a star outside our solar system are called exoplanets.

NASA said the exoplanet where the carbon dioxide was found, or detected, is a hot, gas planet. It was discovered in 2011 and is called WASP-39 b. The exoplanet – which has a mass about the same as Saturn's – stays around 900 degrees Celsius2. It remains3 hot because it orbits very close to its star.

The space agency said the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes have made observations of WASP-39 b in the past. Those observations suggested the presence of water vapor4, sodium5 and potassium in the exoplanet's atmosphere.

But now, the presence of carbon dioxide has also been confirmed in its atmosphere. NASA said the Webb telescope was able to make the discovery because of its unusual technical abilities.

Researchers recently described the discovery in a paper published online. A detailed6 study about the findings is to appear in an upcoming issue of the publication Nature.

NASA has described Webb as "the largest and most powerful space science telescope ever built." It is a joint7 partnership8 between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency.

Webb is designed to gather more data and explore parts of space that have never been observed before. In July, NASA released the first images captured by the Webb telescope. The images demonstrated Webb's ability to collect data on distant objects and observe highly detailed elements of galaxies9 and exoplanets.

NASA said a sensitive, infrared10 instrument made it possible for the orbiting observatory11 to confirm the presence of carbon dioxide in WASP-39 b's atmosphere. The instrument is called a Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec).

NIRSpec is designed to capture radiation in near-infrared wavelengths12. Using this instrument, astronomers13 are able to produce a detailed map of some of the chemicals found in a planet's atmosphere, if conditions are right. This permits scientists to look for the presence of gasses and other substances.

Zafar Rustamkulov is a student at Johns Hopkins University and a member of the Webb's Early Release Science team. He said in a statement that as soon as he saw the carbon dioxide data, he knew it was a major discovery. "It was a special moment, crossing an important threshold in exoplanet sciences."

Natalie Batalha of the University of California at Santa Cruz helped lead the team. She said, "Detecting such a clear signal of carbon dioxide on WASP-39 b bodes15 well for the detection of atmospheres on smaller, terrestrial-sized planets."

NASA said such discoveries are important because they help scientists better understand the makeup16 of a planet's atmosphere. This can provide valuable information about how planets formed and developed over time.

"Carbon dioxide molecules17 are sensitive tracers of the story of planet formation," said Mike Line of Arizona State University. He is another member of the research team. "By measuring this carbon dioxide..., we can determine how much solid versus18 how much gaseous19 material was used to form this gas giant planet."

Line added that in coming years, the Webb telescope is expected to continue making similar discoveries. In doing so, scientists can gain "insight into the details of how planets form and the uniqueness of our own solar system."

Words in This Story

vapor – n. small drops of liquid that exist in the air

threshold – n. the level at which something starts to happen

bode14 well – n. to be a good sign for the future

terrestrial – adj. of or relating to Earth

trace – v. to follow something

insight – n. the ability to understand what something is really like

unique – adj. different from other things


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1 deployed 4ceaf19fb3d0a70e329fcd3777bb05ea     
（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用
参考例句：
  • Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
  • The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。
2 Celsius AXRzl     
adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的
参考例句：
  • The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
  • The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。
3 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹
参考例句：
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
4 vapor DHJy2     
n.蒸汽，雾气
参考例句：
  • The cold wind condenses vapor into rain.冷风使水蒸气凝结成雨。
  • This new machine sometimes transpires a lot of hot vapor.这部机器有时排出大量的热气。
5 sodium Hrpyc     
n.（化）钠
参考例句：
  • Out over the town the sodium lights were lit.在外面，全城的钠光灯都亮了。
  • Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.食盐是钠和氯的复合物。
6 detailed xuNzms     
adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的
参考例句：
  • He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
  • A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。
7 joint m3lx4     
adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合
参考例句：
  • I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
  • We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。
8 partnership NmfzPy     
n.合作关系，伙伴关系
参考例句：
  • The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
  • Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。
9 galaxies fa8833b92b82bcb88ee3b3d7644caf77     
星系( galaxy的名词复数 )； 银河系； 一群（杰出或著名的人物）
参考例句：
  • Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
  • We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。
10 infrared dx0yp     
adj./n.红外线(的)
参考例句：
  • Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
  • Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。
11 observatory hRgzP     
n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台
参考例句：
  • Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
  • Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。
12 wavelengths 55c7c1db2849f4af018e7824d42c3ff2     
n.波长( wavelength的名词复数 )；具有相同的/不同的思路；合拍；不合拍
参考例句：
  • I find him difficult to talk to—we're on completely different wavelengths. 我没法和他谈话，因为我们俩完全不对路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Sunlight consists of different wavelengths of radiation. 阳光由几种不同波长的射线组成。 来自辞典例句
13 astronomers 569155f16962e086bd7de77deceefcbd     
n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》
14 bode tWOz8     
v.预示
参考例句：
  • These figures do not bode well for the company's future.这些数字显示出公司的前景不妙。
  • His careful habits bode well for his future.他那认真的习惯预示著他会有好的前途。
15 bodes cc17e58636d1c4347f183c6aba685251     
v.预示，预告，预言( bode的第三人称单数 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待
参考例句：
  • This bodes ill for the failure of the programme. 这是那项计划有凶兆。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • This bodes him no good. 这对他是不祥之兆。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
16 makeup 4AXxO     
n.组织；性格；化装品
参考例句：
  • Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
  • Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？
17 molecules 187c25e49d45ad10b2f266c1fa7a8d49     
分子( molecule的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
  • Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。
18 versus wi7wU     
prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下
参考例句：
  • The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
  • The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。
19 gaseous Hlvy2     
adj.气体的，气态的
参考例句：
  • Air whether in the gaseous or liquid state is a fluid.空气，无论是气态的或是液态的，都是一种流体。
  • Freon exists both in liquid and gaseous states.氟利昂有液态和气态两种形态。

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