Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Space Research SRON and the University of Groningen have found evidence of the presence of chromium hydride on exoplanet WASP-31b, which at a certain temperature and pressure is located on the border between liquid and gas.
A research team from the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON) and the University of Groningen has now found evidence of a substance on exoplanet WASP-31b that is in a boundary state: between liquid and gas. On Earth, it resembles clouds and rain.
The researchers found evidence in the Hubble data, we are talking about chromium hydride (CrH), which is in the atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-31b. It is hot Jupiter with a temperature of about 1200 ° C, which is in the twilight zone between day and night – this is the place where starlight travels through the atmosphere to Earth.
Chromium hydride can play a role in shaping the weather system on this planet: clouds and rain can appear there. This is the first time that chromium hydride has been detected on hot Jupiter.
The authors of the work believe that chromium hydride is in gaseous form during the day on the planet, and in liquid form at night. According to theoretical models, large temperature differences create strong winds. Researchers want to confirm with real observations. In addition, they are now looking for chromium hydride on ten more planets.
