NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Spots Burger-shaped Disk Around Young Star – News18

Astronomers have mapped out a burger-shaped protoplanetary disk around a young star using the James Webb Space Telescope. The Ice Age team used a telescope to create the first detailed inventory of ice within a protoplanetary disk, the structure from which our solar system’s planets emerged around 4.5 billion years ago.

Ardjan Sturm, the lead author and scientist from Leiden University, underscored the significance of this effort in advancing our comprehension of the formation of Earth and other celestial bodies. Sturm in a statement said, “With those observations, we can now begin to make firmer statements about the physics and chemistry of star and planet formation.”

Why is this a major milestone?

As explained by Space.com, ice enables the aggregation of solid dust grains in protoplanetary disks, forming the bedrock for planetary development. Moreover, ice contains essential molecules like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, acting as the raw materials for life’s building blocks.

The challenge of studying ice in protoplanetary disks of other stars has long eluded astronomers due to the water-laden atmosphere of Earth and the faintness of these disks. However, the JWST, boasting high-resolution infrared capabilities, has now pierced through these challenges, offering detailed observations.

To conduct this study, the Ice Age team trained the JWST on a young star known as HH 48 NE, situated approximately 600 light-years away. The star’s trajectory through the cosmic “buns” of its protoplanetary disk, creates a burger-like illusion due to our side-on view.

As starlight from HH 48 NE traversed the protoplanetary disk, it interacted with molecules in the disk, leaving distinctive imprints on the light. The astronomers identified fingerprints of ammonia, cyanate, carbonyl sulfide, and heavy carbon dioxide—all in the form of ice. Notably, the team calculated the ratio of heavy carbon dioxide to its “normal” counterpart, providing insights into the composition of this common Earthly molecule.

One intriguing revelation from this research is the potential mixing of carbon monoxide ice with less volatile carbon dioxide and water, challenging previous estimations of its proximity to the young star. This suggests that planets with high carbon content could form in closer orbits around their stars than previously thought.

Published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics on December 6, 2023, the Ice Age JWST project’s inaugural results mark a significant step in unravelling the mysteries of planetary formation. Co-author Melissa McClure from Leiden University expressed excitement about the unfolding results, stating, “Now the results are starting to arrive.”

The team plans to extend their observations to other protoplanetary disks, aiming to validate if similar mixtures of carbon-based ice are prevalent, potentially reshaping our understanding of planetary compositions.