WASP-76 b orbits so close to its host star that it supports temperatures well above 2000°C. And when it rains, iron is pelted on the surface.
On the other hand, some elements were found to be depleted in the exoplanet as compared to its super hot host star. “These elements that appear to be missing in WASP-76 b’s atmosphere are precisely those that require higher temperatures to vaporize, like titanium and aluminum,” said Pelletier.
At 2000°C, many elements that would ordinarily form rocks on Earth vaporize and become gaseous in the upper atmosphere. The study of this unique planet provides unparalleled insight into the rock-forming elements in giant planets.The researchers also found vanadium oxide, which is the first time this element has been discovered on an exoplanet.
“This molecule plays a similar role to ozone in Earth's atmosphere: it is extremely efficient at heating up the upper atmosphere. This causes the temperatures to increase as a function of altitude, instead of decreasing as is typically seen on colder planets,” explained Pelletier. Other surprising finds included the unexpected presence of nickel in the exoplanet's atmosphere. It is plausible that WASP-76 b obtained nickel by accretion material from a planet comparable to Mercury.
One of the keys to understanding the formation of gaseous planets is obtaining details about the elements present in the atmosphere of an exoplanet. And these new observations will be the key to further exploring and studying this extremely bizarre world.
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