Press release: Glimpse of the weather of a world far away
No. 11 - 21.01.2025
International research team measures extreme winds on an exoplanet
An international research team led by the University of Göttingen has discovered extremely strong winds on the exoplanet “WASP-127b”. The winds along the equator of this planet can reach speeds of up to 33,000 kilometres per hour. These results help better understand the atmosphere of planets outside our solar system. The research was published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
Until just a few years ago, astronomers could only measure the mass and radius of extrasolar planets – meaning planets orbiting stars other than our Sun. Now, researchers are using employing high-resolution infrared spectroscopy. They used it in this study to examine the atmosphere of WASP-127b and found water vapour (H₂O) and carbon monoxide (CO). What was surprising was that one part of the atmosphere was moving towards the observers at an astonishing speed of almost 33,000 kilometres per hour, while another part was moving away from them at the same speed. The team concludes that extremely strong winds are circulating at supersonic speeds at the equator of WASP-127b.
The other new finding in this research is that different regions on the exoplanet could be analysed separately thanks to the large differences in speed – although these cannot be resolved visually as is the case with planets in our solar system. The researchers found that the jet stream on one side of the planet, at the transition between day and night, is slightly hotter than at the transition on the opposite side. For the poles of the planet, cooler temperatures explain the lack of a measurable signal.
“This detailed investigation of the atmosphere of WASP-127b helps to test theoretical models of atmospheric circulation,” says first author Dr Lisa Nortmann at Göttingen University’s Institute of Astrophysics and Geophysics. The results provide a solid foundation for further research into the atmospheres of exoplanets. “WASP-127b, with its unique atmospheric properties and raging winds, is a fascinating example of atmospheric dynamics on planets far beyond our solar system,” adds Nortmann.
The research was carried out with the CRIRES+ telescope instrument at the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope in the Atacama Desert in Chile.
Original publication: Lisa Nortmann et al. CRIRES+ Transmission Spectroscopy of WASP-127b: Detection of Resolved Signatures of a Supersonic Equatorial Jet and Cool Poles in a Hot Planet. Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202450438
Contact:
Dr Lisa Nortmann
University of Göttingen
Institute for Astrophysics and Geophysics
Friedrich-Hund-Platz 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)551 39-28511
Email: lisa.nortmann@uni-goettingen.de