Scientists have discovered a new exoplanet called Tylos (WASP-121b) that orbits a star just 880 light-years from Earth. Located around the scorching hot planet is a world so extreme that it boasts clouds of vaporized metal and rains liquid sapphires and rubies. Researchers have successfully reconstructed its tempestuous atmosphere in three dimensions, revealing record-breaking winds that challenge our understanding of weather patterns.
Tylos, a prototypical ultra-hot Jupiter, orbits its star at an incredibly close distance, leading to a scorching temperature of around 2,360 Kelvin (3,788 Fahrenheit). The planet’s atmosphere is leaking out into space due to the intense heat and gravity. To study the exoplanet in greater detail, scientists combined the ESO’s Very Large Telescope units to map its atmospheric composition.
The results are astonishing: a jet stream rotates material around the planet’s equator while a separate flow transports gas from the hot side to the cooler side. This unique climate has never been seen before on any planet, even compared to the strongest hurricanes in our Solar System. The researchers observed winds reaching supersonic speeds of up to 26.8 kilometers per second.
The extreme temperature gradient between day and night sides creates powerful wind currents that churn up the atmosphere. Clouds of iron and titanium are accelerated by these jet stream currents, with winds blowing at super-rotational speeds. Sodium and hydrogen layers sit above them, while titanium is detected for the first time in the exoplanet’s atmosphere.
This groundbreaking research represents a significant leap forward for exoplanet study. It demonstrates our ability to uncover the secrets of distant worlds, which were previously thought to be inaccessible.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/planets-record-smashing-iron-wind-hides-a-climate-unlike-anything-weve-seen