A recent discovery shakes up our understanding of planetary systems. A multi-planet system, including a hot Jupiter, a super-Earth and an ice giant, contradicts current theories of planet formation.
Located about 403 light years away in the constellation Wolf, the WASP-132 system intrigues scientists. This system hosts a hot Jupiter, a super-Earth and one giant of ice, providing an unexpected structure that challenges formation models planetary.
The hot Jupiter, WASP-132b, completes one orbit around its star in just over seven Earth days. The super-Earth, WASP-132c, completes its orbit in about 24 hours, while the ice giant, WASP-132d, takes five years to circle the star. This unique configuration suggests a stable migration of planets towards their star.
Researchers, from several institutions including the University of Geneva and the University of Zurich, have studied this system since 2006. The discovery of the super-Earth by the satellite NASA’s TESS in 2021 was a turning point, revealing the complexity of the WASP-132 system.
This discovery challenges the theory that hot Jupiters are cosmic loners. The presence of a super-Earth closer to the star than the hot Jupiter and a more distant ice giant suggests that planets can form and coexist near a hot Jupiter.
Credit: University of Copenhagen/Lars Buchhave
The scientists plan to continue their research to understand how such a system could have formed. They hope this study will stimulate new investigations into the formation of hot Jupiters and the diversity of planetary systems.
Future data from the Gaia satellite could reveal more details about this system, including the possible presence of a woman brune at its confines. This discovery may well force a revision of our understanding of hot Jupiters and the formation of planetary systems.
-How do hot Jupiters become cosmic loners?
Hot Jupiters are gas giants that orbit very close to their host star. Contrary to what one might think, these planets do not form in the immediate vicinity of their star. Scientists think they migrate inward after forming in protoplanetary disks.
This migration is often considered a violent process that can lead to the accretion or ejection of other celestial bodies in the system. This would explain why hot Jupiters are often observed as solitary planets, without close companions.
However, the discovery of the WASP-132 system, with its super-Earth and its ice giant, suggests that this migration can sometimes take place in a more gentle manner, allowing the coexistence of several planets. This opens new perspectives on the diversity of planetary systems and the mechanisms of planet formation.
What is a protoplanetary disk?
A protoplanetary disk is a disk-shaped structure composed of gas and dust that surrounds a young star. It is in these disks that the planets begin to form, from theagglomeration of matter.
Protoplanetary disks play a crucial role in the formation of planetary systems. They not only provide the raw material for the formation of planets, but also influence their evolution and migration.
Understanding protoplanetary disks is essential to explain the diversity of planetary systems observed in the Universe. Studies of these disks, like those carried out on the WASP-132 system, help scientists better understand the processes of planet formation and evolution.
