The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) recently discovered an unusual planet "composed almost entirely of carbon," a discovery that challenges existing models of planet formation. According to reports, scientific progress often comes from data that cannot be explained by the current cognitive framework, and this research may become a new opportunity to promote the transformation of scientific theories.
The planet discovered this time is located in a rare "black widow" pulsar system. Its parent star PSR J2322-2650 is a millisecond pulsar that releases powerful energy by absorbing material from its companion star. During this process, the pulsar used strong gravity and radiation to strip off the outer layers of the companion star, causing the original companion star to eventually become a high-temperature, dense, Jupiter-sized debris. The latest research shows that the remnant planet (PSR J2322-2650b) orbits the pulsar with an orbital period of only 7.8 hours.
JWST's spectral data revealed that the planet's atmosphere is not dominated by helium as expected, but is almost entirely composed of carbon, existing in the form of molecular three-carbon (C3) and two-carbon (C2). This type of high-concentration carbon molecule has previously been found mostly in the tails of comets or in fires on Earth, but it is the first time it has become so common in a planet's atmosphere. On this tidally locked planet, the dayside always faces the pulsar, is extremely hot (more than 2000°C), and exhibits obvious chemical features, while the nightside has almost no features, and scientists speculate that it may be covered with black smoke.
According to analysis, the planet’s carbon-oxygen (C/O) ratio exceeds 100, and its carbon-nitrogen (C/N) ratio exceeds 10,000—much higher than the Earth’s C/O (about 0.01) and C/N (40), indicating that its carbon content is extremely high. Such a carbon-rich atmosphere goes against the expected formation process of the Black Widow system: According to models, the outer layers of the atmosphere should be absorbed by the parent star or ablated by radiation, resulting in a carbon content that should not be so high. Although there are theories that similar phenomena can be produced by the merger of "double carbon stars" white dwarfs, their extreme C/O ratio cannot be explained.
In addition, JWST also observed for the first time the westerly wind phenomenon predicted by scientific models: a rapidly rotating planet should produce strong westerly winds. Actual observations found that the planet's hottest spot is located about 12 degrees west of the center, verifying this theory. Although some of the physical properties fit the model, the carbon anomaly was a mystery that completely defied scientists' expectations.
Compiled from /ScitechDaily