Astronomers have detected an exoplanet thought to be the size of Earth and covered in volcanoes.
According to CNN, scientists said the newly discovered exoplanet, named “LP 791-18 d”, is probably covered with volcanoes.
It was noted that the planet in question may be experiencing eruptions like Jupiter’s Io moon, the most active celestial body in the Solar System in terms of volcanoes.
NASA said in a statement that the exoplanet was discovered as a result of the evaluation of data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the outdated Spitzer Space Telescope and ground-based telescopes.
It was reported that the discovered exoplanet is about 90 light years away from Earth, orbits a red dwarf star and is located in the constellation of the Cup (Crater).
Volcanic activity is caused by the gravitational pull of another planet in orbit
Two more planets orbit the dwarf star, the statement said, adding that “LP 791-18 b” is 20 percent larger than Earth and “LP 791-18 c” is 2.5 times the size of Earth, but its mass is 7 times larger than Earth.
Astronomers think that the giant planet “LP 791-18 c” may have an effect on the volcanic activities on the exoplanet in question.
While the two celestial bodies were orbiting the dwarf star, the gravity of the larger planet changed the orbit of “LP 791-18 d” as the planets approached each other.
Each rotation around the star made the exoplanet’s orbit a little more oval, which caused the planet’s interior to heat up and increased volcanic activity. The same situation is thought to occur on Io, which is caught in the gravitational field between Jupiter and its larger moons.
The discovered planet is likely to be covered with Io-like volcanoes
Ian Crossfield, a lecturer in physics and astronomy at the University of Kansas and co-author of the study, said:
“We don’t know if the planet has volcanoes. All we know is that ‘LP 791-18 d’ is a small planet that experiences periodic stretching of its orbit due to its orbit around its star and other planets nearby. This could create a situation similar to that of Jupiter’s moon Io, the most volcanically active body in our solar system. We know this because we have sent spacecraft near Io and taken pictures.”
Scientists estimate that the newly discovered exoplanet’s distance from its star puts it on the inner edge of the habitable zone, which provides the temperature to support water on the planet’s surface.
Björn Benneke, a lecturer in astronomy at the University of Montreal’s Trottier Institute for Exoplanet Studies and co-author of the study, said: “LP 791-18 d only faces its star on one side. The day side will probably be too hot to have liquid water on the surface. But volcanic activity, which we suspect is occurring all over the planet, could create an atmosphere that could allow water to condense on the night side.”
While volcanic activity may seem like an obstacle to water and life, it could actually help the planet maintain an atmosphere.
Jessie Christiansen, a research fellow at the Exoplanet Science Institute at NASA’s California Institute of Technology and co-author of the study, said:
“In astrobiology, which studies the possible origins of life on Earth or other celestial bodies, the big question is whether tectonic or volcanic activity is necessary for life. “In addition to potentially providing an atmosphere, these activities can prevent substances that we think are important for life, such as carbon, from being trapped in the crust and may benefit by churning and mixing them.”
The research is published in the journal Nature.
