The James Webb Space Telescope has enabled scientists to peer into one of the most active radiation zones of the Milky Way and find that even there, Earth-like planets can form. This discovery provides a better understanding of places where life can originate, UNN writes with reference to Space.com.
Details
"We thought that UV radiation was detrimental to planet formation," said Konstantin Getman from Pennsylvania University.
However, new data published in The Astrophysical Journal on May 20 showed that even in such a complex environment, protoplanetary disks—zones of gas and dust where planets originate—can exist and evolve.
We cannot see how already discovered exoplanets were born. Therefore, we study young disks in difficult conditions, for example, under intense UV radiation
In this case, scientists investigated the XUE 1 disk, which surrounds a young star in such an environment, studying its size, mass, temperature, and composition. The XUE 1 disk receives very powerful ultraviolet radiation. This is significantly more than what the Solar System once had.
"If this star were in place of the Sun, the level of UV radiation would decrease by 100 thousand times," said the lead author of the work, Beyron Portilla Revelo.
JWST has become indispensable for such research due to its high sensitivity and resolution. "No other telescope is capable of seeing such distant and faint objects," Ramirez-Tannus emphasized.
Webb telescope data was supplemented by observations from Hubble, Spitzer, and other telescopes. This made it possible to detect faint radiation from a disk located 5500 light-years away. For analysis, the team developed a unique thermochemical model that considers the behavior of light, heat, and chemical reactions within the disk. Such models help estimate the material reserves for planet formation.
"This is important for understanding the birth of systems similar to ours," Portilla Revelo noted. Until now, there was insufficient data for XUE 1, which complicated modeling.
The created computer spectra were compared with observations to determine the temperature, density, and composition of the disk. The analysis showed a compact disk with truncated edges: strong UV radiation affects the temperature and chemistry of the gas. At the same time, traces of water—a key element for the emergence of Earth-like planets—were found even in such a hostile environment. The main thing is that the area inside the disk where rocky planets can form is protected from harmful UV radiation.
The inner zone, where Earth-like planets can be born, remains relatively untouched by ultraviolet light
The study also showed that planet formation occurs even under harsh conditions, expanding the possible environments for the emergence of habitable worlds.
"Studying such regions allows for a better understanding of the influence of UV radiation on the formation of disks around stars of different masses and sizes," Getman concluded.
Addition
Scientists for the first time discovered semi-heavy water ice near a young star similar to the Sun. This confirms that some of the water in the Solar System could have formed even before the birth of the Sun.