James Webb Space Telescope Finds Evidence Supporting Theory on Planet Formation Process

Water vapor observed in planet-forming disks surrounding young stars confirms long-predicted "pebble accretion" theory, suggesting icy pebbles traversing from the outer regions to inner realms play a crucial role in planet construction.

• The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected water vapor in planet-forming disks, providing vital evidence to support the long-standing 'pebble accretion' theory of planet formation.
• The detected water vapor is believed to be a consequence of icy pebbles from the outer regions of a planet-forming disk moving into the inner realm, where they release cold water vapor, a key prediction of the pebble accretion theory.
• JWST's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) found this water vapor in two compact disks of gas and dust surrounding stars that are 2 to 3 million years old in the Taurus star-forming region, approximately 430 light-years away.
• The observation reveals a dynamic process of planet formation, challenging a formerly static perspective where planets emerged from isolated zones, demonstrating that these areas can interact with each other.
• While the findings solidify the theory of pebble accretion, several questions remain unanswered, including how ring structures form in certain disks and what conditions prompt pebbles to stick together without breaking apart.

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