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last mo.

JWST Narrows TRAPPIST-1e’s Atmosphere, Pointing to Nitrogen-Rich Air

Two peer-reviewed JWST studies find spectra consistent with a heavier, nitrogen-rich atmosphere, with confirmation pending due to stellar noise.

Image
An illustration of the exoplanet known as TRAPPIST-1e.
This artist’s concept shows the volatile red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 and its four most closely orbiting planets, all of which have been observed by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Webb has found no definitive signs of an atmosphere around any of these worlds yet. Artwork: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Joseph Olmsted (STScI)

Overview

  • Researchers analyzed four TRAPPIST-1e transits with transmission spectroscopy and published the results in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
  • The data rule out a hydrogen-dominated envelope and show no evidence for a clear, carbon dioxide–dominated atmosphere.
  • Stellar activity from the ultracool red dwarf complicates the signal, preventing a definitive separation of star and planet effects.
  • Teams plan roughly 15 additional JWST transits to determine whether TRAPPIST-1e truly retains a stable secondary atmosphere.
  • TRAPPIST-1e is an Earth-sized planet in the system’s habitable zone about 40 light-years away, making it a high-priority target for assessing potential surface liquid water.