Overview

• Two Astrophysical Journal Letters papers report four 2023 JWST/NIRSpec PRISM transit spectra of TRAPPIST-1e that are consistent with, but do not confirm, an atmosphere.
• The data rule out a primordial hydrogen-dominated envelope and weakly disfavor Venus- or Mars-like CO2-rich atmospheres at roughly the 2-sigma level.
• A heavier, secondary atmosphere dominated by nitrogen with trace gases such as CO2 and methane remains compatible with the observations.
• Significant, variable stellar contamination from the active red dwarf required new correction methods, and a bare-rock, no-atmosphere model still fits within current uncertainties.
• The JWST-TST DREAMS team is expanding observations from four to roughly 15–20 transits to reduce errors, test the tentative spectral features, and refine habitability assessments.