sulfur dioxide Archives - Astrobiology

Calculated reaction pathways with relative energies expressed in eV. Cartesian coordinates of the optimized structures are in the Supporting Information (Table A1). -- astro-ph.GA

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Interstellar, Status Report

Chemical Pathways of SO2 With Hydrogen Atoms On Interstellar Ice Analogues

by Keith CowingNovember 15, 2024November 15, 2024

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a sulfur-containing molecule expected to exist as a solid in the interstellar medium (ISM). In this study, we performed laboratory experiments and computational analyses on the […]

The sulfur-laden atmosphere discovered on gaseous exoplanet GJ 3470 b, show here in an illustration orbiting its star in the constellation Cancer, could help researchers figure out how it (and similar planets) were formed. Image: Department of Astronomy, UW–Madison

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release

Small, Cool And Sulfurous Exoplanet May Help Write The Recipe For Planetary Formation

by Keith CowingJune 11, 2024June 11, 2024

A surprising yellow haze of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere of a gas “dwarf” exoplanet about 96 light years away from our own solar system makes the planet a prime […]

Three independent reductions of the NIRCam F322W2 and F444W data agree within their uncertainties The top panel shows the F322W2 and F444W transmission spectra, as reduced using the Pegasus, Eureka, and tshirt pipelines, plotted with their associated 1 σ uncertainties using constant 0.015µm-wide spectral bins. All of the F322W2 spectra have been offset down by 163 ppm to correct for a bias offset in the F322W2 transit depths compared to the F444W and Spitzer data (see Appendix B.3). All three reductions agree on the shape of the transmission spectrum and show features due to H2O (2.5–3.2µm), CH4 (3.2–3.5µm), SO2 (3.9–4.1µm), and CO2 (2.6–2.9µm and 4.2–4.5µm). The absorption cross sections of the prominent species in this wavelength range, many of which are visually identifiable in the bottom panel. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Sulfur Dioxide and Other Molecular Species in the Atmosphere of the Sub-Neptune GJ 3470 b

by Keith CowingJune 11, 2024June 11, 2024

We report observations of the atmospheric transmission spectrum of the sub-Neptune exoplanet GJ 3470 b taken using the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on JWST. Combined with two archival HST/WFC3 transit observations […]

Astronomers identified icy compounds made of complex organic molecules like alcohol and likely acetic acid, using MIRI, which was managed through launch by JPL.

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release

Webb Space Telescope Finds Ethanol And Other Organic Molecules Surrounding Young Protostars

by Keith CowingMarch 13, 2024March 13, 2024

What do margaritas, vinegar, and ant stings have in common? They contain chemical ingredients that NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has identified surrounding two young protostars known as IRAS 2A […]

Artist impression of WASP-107b and its parent star CREDIT Illustration: LUCA School of Arts, Belgium/ Klaas Verpoest (visuals), Johan Van Looveren (typography). Science: Achrène Dyrek (CEA and Université Paris Cité, France), Michiel Min (SRON, the Netherlands), Leen Decin (KU Leuven, Belgium) / European MIRI EXO GTO team / ESA / NASA

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gas Giants, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release

Webb Detects Water Vapor, Sulfur Dioxide And Sand Clouds In The Atmosphere Nearby Exoplanet WASP-107b

by Keith CowingNovember 16, 2023November 16, 2023

A team of European astronomers, co-led by researchers from the Institute of Astronomy, KU Leuven, used recent observations made with the James Webb Space Telescope to study the atmosphere of […]

The left panel shows the synthetic transmission spectra of the evening and morning limbs of WASP-39b with a resolution of R = 300. The atmospheric structure and chemical composition are based on 2D VULCAN, incorporating temperature and wind profiles obtained from the Exo-FMS GCM. The models excluding horizontal transport are labelled 1D for comparison. The right panel shows the morning-evening averaged transmission spectra when assuming different atmospheric metallicities within 2D VULCAN. -- astro-ph.EP

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Status Report

Day-night Transport Induced Chemistry And Clouds On WASP-39b I: Gas-phase Composition

by Keith CowingJune 14, 2023June 14, 2023

JWST has recently detected the first robust photochemical product on an exoplanet: sulfur dioxide (SO2) on WASP-39b (Rustamkulov et al. 2023; Alderson et al. 2023; Tsai et al. 2023b).