A groundbreaking study using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) revealed that water might be present in rocky alien worlds from the beginning of their formation. The research focused on the young star PDS 70, located about 370 light-years from Earth and known as a potential planet-forming system. PDS 70 is similar to our sun but younger and cooler, making it an excellent target to understand how planets in our solar system formed and their chemical composition at an early stage.

Using the JWST’s mid-infrared instrument (MIRI), scientists detected water near the center of the planet-forming disk surrounding PDS 70 in the form of hot vapor at approximately 625 °F (330 °C). This finding is significant because the central zone of a planetary disk is where rocky planets like Earth usually form. The presence of water in this area suggests that any rocky planets developing in PDS 70’s central region would have access to a substantial reservoir of water, which could enhance their potential habitability in the future.

Previously, it was believed that water might be delivered to young planets through water-bearing asteroids after their formation. However, the discovery at PDS 70 challenges this notion and suggests that water might be a primary ingredient available from the beginning of rocky planet formation. The researchers propose that the water might have originated from a water-rich nebula that gave rise to the PDS 70 system or could have formed from oxygen and hydrogen gas in the outer rims of the disk, drifting closer to the star.

While no planets have been directly observed near the center of PDS 70’s disk, discovering two gas giant planets farther out, known as PDS 70 b and c, indicates that the system is actively undergoing planet formation. The study’s authors emphasize the importance of further investigating other planet-forming disks around young stars to determine if PDS 70’s characteristics are unique or if water-rich environments are more common than previously thought.

The research paper detailing these exciting findings was published in the journal Nature.

References

• Choi, C. (2023, July 24). James Webb Space Telescope spies water near center of planet-forming disk in cosmic 1st. Space.Com. https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-water-center-protoplanetary-disk
• Perotti, G., Christiaens, V., Henning, T., Tabone, B., Waters, L. B. F. M., Kamp, I., Olofsson, G., Grant, S. L., Gasman, D., Bouwman, J., Samland, M., Franceschi, R., van Dishoeck, E. F., Schwarz, K., Güdel, M., Lagage, P.-O., Ray, T. P., Vandenbussche, B., Abergel, A., … Wright, G. (2023). Water in the terrestrial planet-forming zone of the PDS 70 disk. Nature, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06317-9