Researchers Discover Jupiter-Like Exoplanet that has Complex Weather System

Researchers from the SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research and the University of Groningen said that scientists have an explanation when it rains at night or whether it is sunny during the day. According to a report from Martha Stewart, researchers typically have an explanation for such changes seen in day-to-day forecast.

However, when it comes to outer space, weather-associated activity remains something experts are working to discover further and understand. And they are discovering more every day.

The said report specified that the SRON Netherland Institute for Space Research and the University of Groningen researchers recently discovered an exoplanet that nearly looks like Jupiter.

They noted, too that the exoplanet has a weather system in spite of its higher than 2,100-degree Fahrenheit surface temperatures.

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Study Findings Uncovered

The team explained in their study that came out in Astronomy and Astrophysics, that they used the Hubble Space telescope of NASA to uncover their study findings on the exoplanet officially named WASP-31b, which is roughly one-and-a-half times the Jupiter's size, although only half of its weight.

The said exoplanet is housed in the so-called "twilight zone" and one side of it is facing its host star, which the same size of the Sun. Also called a "puffy planet," this newly-discovered exoplanet finds its way surrounding the star roughly every three-and-a-half days.

The researchers, after closely looking at WASP-31b, discovered chromium hydride on its surface. They also saw liquid and gas produced from compounds.

Such a transformation generated a weather system that causes rain on Earth's night side, and gas on the planet's day part.

Day Side of This Planet With Chromium Hydride

According study co-author and SRON Exoplanets program leader Michiel Min, hot Jupiters which include WASP-31b, consistently have a similar side that faces their host star.

The co-author added, they thus expect "a day side with chromium hydride in gaseous form," and a night side that has liquid chromium hydride.

Based on theoretical frameworks, the huge difference in temperatures creates strong winds and the researchers wanted to confirm that through observations.

The research team is currently planning to conduct more studies with the James Webb Space Telescope this year to know how a weather system can really operate.

With the telescope, study co-author Floris van der Tak explained, with the telescope, they are "looking for chromium hydride on 10 planets different temperatures" to understand further how the weather systems on those planets rely on the temperature.

Interesting Discovery on Mars

In other news about weather in the galaxy, experts discovered something interesting on one of the Earth's neighboring planets, Mars.

In a study that Science Advances published, researchers noted that the summer landslides that take place on the Red Planet are because of the "underground salts and melting ice."

Scientists from SETI Institute developed a mock-up of frozen soil on the Red Planet in a miniature laboratory experiment. There they noticed it melted and became slushy water in the temperatures akin to summer's that would actually take place on the planet.

Such research findings help researchers understand the dynamic and active environs of Mars that is still continuously changing.

According to study author Dr. Janice Bishop, who's also a senior research scientist at the Set Institute, she is "excited about the prospect of microscale liquid water on Mars" in near-surface environments where there is presence of salts and ice.

This, she added, could "revolutionize our perspective inhabitability" just under the Mars' surface today.

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