Webb Spots Dramatic Day-Night Atmosphere Split on WASP-121 b
TL;DR Summary
JWST transit observations of WASP-121 b reveal a clear day–night atmospheric split: the evening terminator is hotter and expands more, absorbing more starlight, likely driven by eastward winds; CO signals rise with temperature, while water is depleted at the upper atmosphere, hinting at clouds cooling the morning side. By tracking the planet's rotation during transit, researchers map atmospheric conditions by longitude and aim to study more ultra-hot Jupiters with this method.
Topics:science#astronomy#atmospheric-dynamics#exoplanets#infrared-spectroscopy#james-webb-space-telescope#wasp-121-b
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