Cornell scientists are making strides in understanding the composition of exoplanets by studying chemical processes within the Earth’s mantle. Their focus on basalt-based spectral signatures could potentially reveal the presence of water on planets beyond our solar system.
Esteban Gazel, a professor at Cornell, explained that when the Earth’s mantle melts, it produces basalts, which are gray-black volcanic rocks found in various locations in the solar system. By studying these basalts, scientists hope to gain insights into the geologic history of exoplanets.
The team, led by Gazel and Emily First, a former postdoctoral researcher at Cornell, published a paper on their research in Nature Astronomy. They have been examining the emissivity of basaltic samples to understand the spectral signatures that may be detected by the James Webb Space Telescope’s mid-infrared spectrometer.
Once basaltic melts cool and harden on an exoplanet’s surface, they form solid rocks that can interact with water, if present. These interactions lead to the formation of new hydrated minerals that can be detected through infrared spectra. By analyzing these spectral differences, scientists hope to determine whether exoplanets have had water on their surfaces or interiors.
The research group utilized data from the super Earth exoplanet LHS 3844b to simulate their hypotheses. By modeling First’s spectral data, they were able to simulate how different exoplanet surfaces might appear to the JWST. This research marks a shift towards exploring multiple components of rocky exoplanets, providing a more comprehensive understanding of their mineralogy and bulk chemical composition.
The team’s work has been supported by various organizations, including the National Science Foundation and the Heising-Simons Foundation. Their findings represent a significant step forward in the study of exoplanets and could pave the way for further discoveries in the field of planetary science.
