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Title: Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRSpec PRISM
Abstract Transmission spectroscopy1–3of exoplanets has revealed signatures of water vapour, aerosols and alkali metals in a few dozen exoplanet atmospheres4,5. However, these previous inferences with the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes were hindered by the observations’ relatively narrow wavelength range and spectral resolving power, which precluded the unambiguous identification of other chemical species—in particular the primary carbon-bearing molecules6,7. Here we report a broad-wavelength 0.5–5.5 µm atmospheric transmission spectrum of WASP-39b8, a 1,200 K, roughly Saturn-mass, Jupiter-radius exoplanet, measured with the JWST NIRSpec’s PRISM mode9as part of the JWST Transiting Exoplanet Community Early Release Science Team Program10–12. We robustly detect several chemical species at high significance, including Na (19σ), H2O (33σ), CO2(28σ) and CO (7σ). The non-detection of CH4, combined with a strong CO2feature, favours atmospheric models with a super-solar atmospheric metallicity. An unanticipated absorption feature at 4 µm is best explained by SO2(2.7σ), which could be a tracer of atmospheric photochemistry. These observations demonstrate JWST’s sensitivity to a rich diversity of exoplanet compositions and chemical processes.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1945633
PAR ID:
10538035
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; more » ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; « less
Publisher / Repository:
NASA/ADS
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Nature
Volume:
614
Issue:
7949
ISSN:
0028-0836
Page Range / eLocation ID:
659 to 663
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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