Webb Study Reveals Rocky Planets Can Form in Extreme Environments

Newswise imageSpace is a harsh environment, but some areas are even harsher than others. A star-forming region known as the Lobster Nebula is host to some of the most massive stars in our galaxy. Massive stars are hotter, and therefore emit more ultraviolet (UV) light.
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Ramp Compression of Iron Provides Insight into Core Conditions of Large Rocky Exoplanets

Newswise imageA team of researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Rochester have provided the first experimentally based mass-radius relationship for a hypothetical pure iron planet at super-Earth core conditions. This discovery can be used to evaluate plausible compositional space for large, rocky exoplanets, forming the basis of future planetary interior models, which in turn can be used to more accurately interpret observation data from the Kepler space mission and aid in identifying planets suitable for habitability.
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