Astronomers: Star destroy the atmosphere closest planets – BBC Russian

Image copyright Peter Devine

Image caption The planets that are close to the stars, subjected to bombardment by powerful radiation fluxes

Astronomers have confirmed the existence of planets, the atmosphere of which destroyed the stars around which they orbit.

planets that are too close to the luminary orbit are continually bombarded by powerful radiation flow.

The gaseous outer layers of the atmosphere of these planets are washed away by this flow, says an international team of scientists.

The results of their research were published in the journal Nature Communications.

The researchers used data from the Kepler space telescope, which was launched for the study of exoplanets -. celestial bodies orbiting other stars

The researchers focused on the category of planets called “super-Earths” which have a weight of about 2-10 times larger than our planet

“For these planets is the same that stand with a hairdryer included in the maximum temperature,” -. shows are on orbits close to the star one of the authors of the study, Dr. Guy Davies from the University of Birmingham

“There was a lot of theoretical assumptions that such planets may be deprived of their atmosphere. Now, thanks to the observations we received confirmation of this theory, swept aside all doubts about its validity “, – he says

The astronomers used observations technique called.” Asteroseismology “, which can be used to study the internal structure of stars

By setting the character stars, scientists can also determine the exact size of rotating around exoplanets.

The research results are important for understanding how the evolving planetary systems such as our Sun, as well as to understand the role stars in the process.

“Our studies have shown that the planet of a certain size, which are close to the luminary, in its early days, is likely to have been much more. In the future, these planets will look very different, “- said Guy Davis

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