arXiv Open Access 2026

Jupiter-like uniform metal enrichment in a system of multiple giant exoplanets

Jean-Baptiste Ruffio Jerry W. Xuan Yayaati Chachan Aurora Kesseli Eve J. Lee +13 lainnya
Lihat Sumber

Abstrak

The accretion of icy and rocky solids during the formation of a gas giant planet is poorly constrained and challenging to model. Refractory species, like sulfur, are only present in solids in the protoplanetary disk where planets form. Measuring their abundance in planetary atmospheres is one of the most direct ways of constraining the extent and mechanism of solid accretion. Using the unprecedented sensitivity of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), we measure a detailed chemical make-up of three massive gas giants orbiting the star HR~8799 including direct detections of H$_2$O, CO, CH$_4$, CO$_2$, H$_2$S, $^{13}$CO, and C$^{18}$O. We find these planets are uniformly and highly enriched in heavy elements compared to the star irrespective of their volatile (carbon and oxygen) or refractory (sulfur) nature, which strongly suggests efficient accretion of solids during their formation. This composition closely resembles that of Jupiter and Saturn and demonstrates that this enrichment also occurs in systems of multiple gas giant planets orbiting stars beyond the Solar System. This discovery hints at a shared origin for the heavy element enrichment of giant planets across a wider range of planet masses and orbital separations than previously anticipated.

Topik & Kata Kunci

Penulis (18)

J

Jean-Baptiste Ruffio

J

Jerry W. Xuan

Y

Yayaati Chachan

A

Aurora Kesseli

E

Eve J. Lee

C

Charles Beichman

K

Klaus Hodapp

W

William O. Balmer

Q

Quinn Konopacky

M

Marshall D. Perrin

D

Dimitri Mawet

H

Heather A. Knutson

G

Geoffrey Bryden

T

Thomas P. Greene

D

Doug Johnstone

J

Jarron Leisenring

M

Michael Meyer

M

Marie Ygouf

Format Sitasi

Ruffio, J., Xuan, J.W., Chachan, Y., Kesseli, A., Lee, E.J., Beichman, C. et al. (2026). Jupiter-like uniform metal enrichment in a system of multiple giant exoplanets. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.08227

Akses Cepat

Lihat di Sumber
Informasi Jurnal
Tahun Terbit
2026
Bahasa
en
Sumber Database
arXiv
Akses
Open Access ✓