Abu Dhabi: Scientists from the University of Montreal, led by researchers including Mr. Mohamad Ali-Dib from NYU Abu Dhabi, have made an intriguing discovery, an Earth-sized exoplanet named LP 791-18 d. This distant world, located outside our solar system, has the potential to host volcanic activity similar to Jupiter’s moon Io, known for its intense volcanic outbursts. The findings raise the possibility of habitability on LP 791-18 d, adding another fascinating exoplanet to the growing list of potential candidates for extraterrestrial life.
The planet was found and studied using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), the Spitzer Space Telescope, as well as a suite of ground-based observatories. Dr. Ali-Dib specifically led the study of the planetary system’s stability and discovered that the orbits of its planets are long-term stable. His work moreover put significant constraints on the presence of additional unknown earth-sized planets in the system, as these might destabilize its orbits.
Space volcanoes!🌋
Io, a moon of Jupiter, has the mot active volcanoes in our solar system. A recently-discovered exoplanet may rival even that fiery moon! https://t.co/B8PChBUDzR https://t.co/RreHSWEBh6— NASA Exoplanets (@NASAExoplanets) May 17, 2023
In the paper titled A temperate Earth-sized planet with tidal heating transiting an M6 Star published in the journal Nature, the researchers explain how they detected and studied the new planet. LP 791-18 d was discovered orbiting a small red dwarf star located approximately 90 light-years away in the southern constellation Crater.
Researchers estimate that the newly discovered planet is only slightly larger and more massive than Earth. There are two other previously known planets in this system, referred to as LP 791-18 b and c. Each time planets c and d passed each other in orbit, the larger planet c produced a gravitational pull on planet d. This consistently deformed planet d and created internal friction, which substantially heated the planet’s interior and produced volcanic activity at its surface.
The study moreover noted that LP 791-18 d is tidally locked, meaning it has one side that permanently faces its star, while the other is in continuous darkness. Tidal-locking, in addition to the significant amount of volcanic activity suspected across the planet, would enable LP 791-18 d to sustain an atmosphere and allow water to condense on its night side. This is significant because the ability of a planet to sustain water in liquid form is key to its potential habitability.
Planet LP 791-18 c was recently approved to be observed using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The findings of the new paper indicate that LP 791-18 d should be similarly studied to further investigate its ability to sustain life.