Water is a crucial feature of our satellite and the life story on it . Therefore , it is only sensible to look for this significant molecule elsewhere in the cosmos , specially when it number to exoplanets . Modern research highlights that body of water is indeed common in large exoplanets but is scarcer than model augur .
A squad of scientist calculate at the atmospherical composition of 19 exoplanets ranging in size from a mini - Neptune , 10 times the mass of our major planet , to a super - Jupiter weighing over 600 times the Earth . As report inThe Astrophysical Journal Letters , water vapour was discover in 14 of those exoplanets but there was a lot less than expected . By compare , the mien of elements such as potassium or atomic number 11 in six planets respectively was very much in assembly line with expectations .
“ We are seeing the first signs of chemic patterns in extra - planetary worlds , and we ’re seeing just how divers they can be in full term of their chemic musical composition , ” project drawing card Dr Nikku Madhusudhan , from the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge , tell in astatement .
Dr Madhusudhan was in the team that first measuredwater vapor in jumbo exoplanetsfive years ago , and since then research worker have been gain more and more insight into their properties . The findings suggest that chemical substance element can not be get into to be equally abundant in terrestrial atmosphere follow established example . There is more going on .
In our Solar System , the giant planets have a lot more carbon copy than the Sun , most probable because ice , rock , and other particle played a part in their formation . This was believe to apply to exoplanet flatulence titan too , but the study paint a picture that this is not the causa , which has some interesting consequences for planetary geological formation possibility in worldwide .
“ measure the abundance of these chemicals in exoplanetary atmospheres is something over-the-top , considering that we have not been able-bodied to do the same for gargantuan planets in our Solar System yet , including Jupiter , our nearest gas giant neighbour , ” read Luis Welbanks , leading writer of the study and Ph.D. student at the Institute of Astronomy .
The team plans to look at more planets to see if this scarcity of water is common or not . They are hope to find more factor and molecules in those remote atmospheres .
