‘Storms’ in Deep Space Could Be Gateways to New Worlds
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have discovered a new method for observing exoplanets forming in protoplanetary disks and determining when they appeared. Using the vortices, scientists were able to observe planets that were difficult to study.
Young stars are surrounded by chaos: Clouds of gas, dust, and ice spin in a disk called the protoplanetary disk, and when gravity binds this material together, planets are born.
When new planets form in distant solar systems, they create ‘hurricanes’ and ‘vortices’ in the surrounding dust, which could lead astronomers directly to them.
Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) telescope in Chile, researchers were able to measure exoplanets by studying “hurricanes” and “vortices” in distant star systems.
“It’s extremely difficult to directly study minor planets far from their stars. It’s like trying to spot a firefly in front of a lighthouse. We need different methods to learn about these planets,” said researcher Roman Rafikov.
‘Storms’ in Deep Space Could Be Gateways to New Worlds
A certain amount of time and mass is required for the formation of these vortices. Therefore, examining the properties of eddies allows estimating the age and mass of the exoplanet that formed them.
About this new method they developed, Rafikov said, “We can combine this method with other methods to improve our knowledge of the properties and formation paths of planets in these systems.” Said.
