NASA's Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) compact spacecraft, the size of a cereal box, has gathered precise data on "hot Jupiters". Led by a team from the University of Colorado Boulder, the findings may help uncover how atmospheres are escaping to space.
Kevin France, the mission's principal investigator, is set to share their data at a media session at 4:30 p.m. on December 11 during the 2023 American Geophysical Union meeting in San Francisco.
CUTE CubeSat Studies Hot Jupiters, Challenges Atmosphere Assumptions
The 14-inch CubeSat, known as CUTE, defies its adorable appearance with significant scientific contributions. CUTE has focused its single ultraviolet telescope on various hot Jupiters, distant gas giants orbiting stars hundreds of light-years away.
Hot Jupiters, aptly named for their fiery nature, share similarities with the Solar System's Jupiter but orbit much closer to their stars, completing orbits in mere Earth days. Exposed to intense stellar radiation, these planets reach scorching temperatures, causing their atmospheres to expand drastically, akin to bread rising in an oven.
While conventional wisdom suggested that prolonged stellar radiation might strip away exoplanet atmospheres over millions to billions of years, CUTE's data challenges this assumption.
In the paper, titled "The Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment Mission Overview" published in The Astronomical Journal, the team observed seven hot Jupiters, noting variations in atmospheric loss among them.
According to France, the principal investigator from the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), CUTE's observations indicate diverse outcomes: some hot Jupiters appear to lose atmospheres, while others retain theirs.
The ongoing mission aims to expand scientists' understanding of the diverse planets in the Milky Way, contributing to a comprehensive guide that encompasses planets vastly different from Earth's neighbors.
France emphasized the broader goal of comprehending the solar system's position within the universe, encompassing planets of all sizes, conditions conducive to life, and those unequivocally inhospitable, along with understanding the underlying physical processes shaping these celestial bodies.
CUTE Mission Unveils Planet Evolution Mysteries and Inspires Future Scientists
During its first two years, CUTE explored a range of planets, examining both stable ones like MASCARA-4b and moderately affected ones like KELT-9b. The team seeks to unravel the mystery of why certain planets experience substantial atmospheric loss while others maintain stability. Influential factors such as planetary size and star dynamics may contribute to variations in atmospheric erosion over time.
CUTE's observations shed light on planetary formation and evolution, potentially elucidating phenomena such as the long-term changes in Mars' atmosphere over billions of years.
The concept of atmospheric escape could also provide insights into the genesis of "super-Earths," proposing that they initiate as Neptune-sized planets with expansive atmospheres that gradually diminish, leaving behind a rocky core.
Beyond its scientific significance, CUTE has a notable impact on students. The compact team of approximately 20 individuals actively participated in every aspect of the mission, offering invaluable hands-on experience in satellite construction and data analysis.
CUTE's legacy extends beyond scientific discoveries, playing a pivotal role in nurturing the upcoming generation of scientists and providing a holistic understanding of space missions.
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