exocast

In this episode the team cover some of the latest exoplanet news stories. This month Hugh covers the first JWST’s transmission spectrum of a small planet, validating and characterising the exoplanet LHS 475b. Hannah discusses some preliminary work from JWST, including phase curves from WASP-121b and WASP-43b, that reveal the capabilities and quirks of the instruments onboard. Andrew breaks the rules by discussing three papers, 2 of which are closely connected, on the general topic of the potential for serpentinization as a possible source of energy for microbial metabolisms around hydrothermal vent systems.

• Hugh’s paper: A JWST transmission spectrum of a nearby Earth-sized exoplanet (arxiv pre-print, submitted to Nature Astro)
• Hannah’s papers:
  • A JWST NIRSpec Phase Curve for WASP-121b: Dayside Emission Strongest Eastward of the Substellar Point and Nightside Conditions Conducive to Cloud Formation
  • A First Look at the JWST MIRI/LRS Phase Curve of WASP-43b (arxiv pre-print)
• Andrew’s papers:
  • Diverse geochemical conditions for prebiotic chemistry in shallow-sea alkaline hydrothermal vents
  • Deep-branching acetogens in serpentinized subsurface fluids of Oman
  • Microbial biosignature preservation in carbonated serpentine from the Samail Ophiolite, Oman

Exocast is edited by Fergus Hall, you can find more of his work www.fergushallmusic.com.

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