Extreme supersonic winds detected on distant exoplanet

Extreme supersonic winds detected on distant exoplanet
by Robert Schreiber
Berlin, Germany (SPX) Jan 22, 2025

Astronomers have observed remarkably powerful winds on the giant exoplanet WASP-127b, located over 500 light-years from Earth. These winds, clocked at an extraordinary 33,000 km/h, represent the fastest jetstream ever identified on any planet. The findings were made using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) in Chile, offering fresh insights into extreme weather conditions in distant worlds.

While Earth's tornadoes and hurricanes can cause severe damage, the winds on WASP-127b exist on an entirely different scale. Discovered in 2016, this gas giant-slightly larger than Jupiter but much less dense-has intrigued scientists with its unique characteristics. Recent observations revealed supersonic winds circling its equator, creating unparalleled atmospheric dynamics.

"Part of the atmosphere of this planet is moving towards us at a high velocity while another part is moving away from us at the same speed," explained Lisa Nortmann, lead author of the study from the University of Gottingen, Germany. "This signal shows us that there is a very fast, supersonic, jet wind around the planet's equator."

At a staggering speed of 9 km per second, the jet winds move nearly six times faster than the planet's rotational velocity. "This is something we haven't seen before," Nortmann noted. These winds set a record, vastly surpassing Neptune's fastest wind speeds of 1,800 km/h-the highest recorded within our Solar System.

The team's findings, published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, were derived from observations using the CRIRES+ instrument on ESO's VLT. By analyzing the starlight passing through WASP-127b's upper atmosphere, researchers confirmed the presence of water vapor and carbon monoxide molecules. Unexpectedly, they also detected a double peak in the atmospheric velocity data, suggesting that the winds at the planet's equator are moving in opposite directions at extreme speeds.

Their weather map further revealed cooler temperatures at the planet's poles and slight temperature differences between its morning and evening hemispheres. "This shows that the planet has complex weather patterns just like Earth and other planets of our own System," added Fei Yan, a co-author from the University of Science and Technology of China.

Exoplanet research has advanced significantly in recent years. Once limited to measuring the mass and size of exoplanets, scientists now use advanced instruments like ESO's VLT to study atmospheric compositions and weather systems. "Understanding the dynamics of these exoplanets helps us explore mechanisms such as heat redistribution and chemical processes, improving our understanding of planet formation and potentially shedding light on the origins of our own Solar System," said David Cont of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, another co-author of the study.

Future studies promise even more detailed observations. While space telescopes lack the necessary velocity precision, ground-based facilities like ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (currently under construction) will offer unprecedented insights into weather patterns on exoplanets, including smaller, rocky worlds. "This means that we can likely resolve even finer details of the wind patterns and expand this research to smaller, rocky planets," Nortmann concluded.

Research Report:CRIRES+ transmission spectroscopy of WASP-127 b