Astronomers looking for Earth-like planets in other solar systems have a new field guide thanks to scientists at Washington University in St. Louis.
Bruce Fegley, a Washington University professor of Earth and planetary sciences, and his laboratory assistant, Laura Schaefer, used thermo chemical equilibrium calculations to model the chemistry of silicate vapor and steam-rich atmospheres formed when Earth-like planets are undergoing accretion.
During the accretion process, with surface temperatures of several thousands degrees Kelvin, a magma ocean forms and vaporizes.
"What you have are elements that are typically found in rocks in a vapor atmosphere," said Schaefer. "These are the indicators of an Earth-like planet forming."
Fegley said such an event should be easily detectable because silicon monoxide gas is observable using infrared and radio wavelength telescopes.
| • | New method developed to find exoplanets
United Press International, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005 |
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| • | Field Guide Created for Confirming New Earth-like Planets
RedNova.com (TX), Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 |
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| Story also ran in 3 others: Innovations Report (Germany), Webindia123 (India) and Monsters and Critics.com (UK) |
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