Sebastian Zieba: “Since LHS 3,844 b lacks such a silicate crust, one may conclude that Earth-like plate tectonics does not apply to this planet, or it is ineffective. This planet likely only contains little water.”
What do the surfaces of rocky exoplanets look like? This is what a recent study published in Nature Astronomy hopes to address as a team of scientists investigated how heat measurements could be used to ascertain the potential physical and chemical properties of a rocky nearby rocky exoplanet. This study has the potential to help scientists use new methods for studying rocky exoplanets, as they are still too far away to be directly observed.
For the study, the researchers used NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe the rocky exoplanet LHS 3,844 b, which is located approximately 49 light-years from Earth and whose mass and radius is estimated to be almost 2.5 and 1.3 times of Earth, respectively. LHS 3,844 b orbits inside the interior edge of its star’s habitable zone, making it analog to Mercury. To accomplish this, the researchers used JWST to obtain heat measurements of LHS 3,844 b to ascertain the exoplanet’s potential physical, geological, and chemical properties.
In the end, the researchers found that LHS 3,844 b is likely comprised of a dark, volcanic surface that’s been weathered by space radiation. The team notes that LHS 3,384 b either has a fresh surface or mimics the Moon or Mercury, the latter of which ceased volcanic activity billions of years ago. The team was also able to potentially rule out a distinct geological characteristic that Earth possesses.
