Water is an essential element of life as we know it. Scientists believe that it is a necessary element in the early stages of planet formation. Recently, a ground-based telescope discovered convincing evidence of the presence of water vapor in the inner region of the disk of gas and dust around the young star, according to reports. Interestingengineering.com.
The international team of astronomers at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), who have mapped the distribution of water in the inner disk, expect planets to form in this region.
I never thought we could image oceans of water vapor in the same region where the planet would likely form
– said Stefano Facchini, an astronomer at the University of Milan in Italy and the lead author of the research.
The telescope targeted HL Tauri, a young, Sun-like star located 450 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus.
Shocking results
Surprisingly, astronomers have discovered a significant amount of water around the gap in HL Tauri's disk, and more specifically, it is estimated that the inner disk contains at least “three times” more water than Earth's oceans combined.
According to the press release, this is the first time that a ground-based telescope has allowed scientists to determine the amount of water vapor surrounding a star.
It is truly remarkable that we can not only detect, but also take detailed images and spatially resolve water vapor 450 light-years away.
– said co-author Leonardo Testi, an astronomer at the University of Bologna in Italy.
These circular-shaped gaps indicate that young planet-like objects are collecting material from stars and gradually evolving into planets.
New insights into the conditions necessary for planetary development
Scientists have long debated how Earth, as well as water-bearing asteroids, gets so much water.
The new findings point to a mechanism by which planets could begin accumulating water from their environments even before asteroid impacts.
Our results show how the presence of water can influence the evolution of a planetary system, as it did in our solar system about 4.5 billion years ago.
Stefano Facchini added in the press release.
Astronomers point out that mapping the distribution of water in the disk using ground-based telescopes was a major challenge, as the Earth's atmosphere prevents astronomical signals from reaching distant celestial bodies.
ALMA, located in Chile, captured incredibly detailed data and images, demonstrating the telescope's remarkable capabilities.
However, this is not the first time signs of water vapor have been detected in the inner disk around a young, planet-forming star. In July 2023, researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered the presence of water in the disk of the star PDS 70.
(Cover photo: Bulletin/European Southern Observatory/AFP)
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