The amount of water is nearly 5,000 times that of the Earth's oceans! Where does the water of this "ocean planet" in the universe come from?

Duan Yuechu Huang Xianghong

In the vast universe, countless mysteries are waiting for humans to uncover.

Recently, the James Webb Space Telescope discovered an "ocean planet" named LHS 1140b, which made a stunning appearance and illuminated the scientific community like a brilliant firework.

The research results were recently published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. By analyzing the observation data of the James Webb Space Telescope, an international research team found evidence that the exoplanet LHS 1140b may be an "ocean planet". This is the first potentially habitable exoplanet observed by humans using the James Webb Space Telescope.

Looking down at the Earth from space, the seemingly vast blue ocean occupies 71% of the Earth's surface area, but it seems insignificant compared to the newly discovered exoplanet LHS 1140b.

The exoplanet LHS 1140b is located in the constellation Cetus, about 48 light-years from the solar system, and has been captured many times by advanced astronomical observation equipment in the past few years. Its mass is about 5.6 times that of the Earth and its diameter is about 1.7 times that of the Earth. The rocky planet has a low density, which has aroused great interest among scientists. What really makes it the focus is its astonishing amount of water. Observations have found that the water on this exoplanet accounts for 10%-20% of the mass of the planet, while the total mass of water in the Earth's oceans accounts for only about 0.0226% of the Earth's mass. This means that the mass of water on the exoplanet LHS 1140b is equivalent to 0.56-1.12 times the mass of the Earth, which is nearly 5,000 times the total amount of water in the Earth's oceans.

If such a huge amount of water on the exoplanet LHS 1140b is evenly distributed on the surface of the planet, the depth can reach about 2,000 kilometers, far exceeding the depth of the Earth's ocean. On Earth, the deepest Mariana Trench is only about 11 kilometers. It can be imagined that the ocean on the exoplanet LHS 1140b is deep and vast, and the entire planet looks like it is full of water, a veritable "water ball".

So, where does the abundant water on the exoplanet LHS 1140b come from and how is it formed? This is a major mystery that has troubled scientists and has opened the door to the mysteries of the universe for us. Scientists believe that the water on the exoplanet LHS 1140b may be closely related to the planet formation process and its position in the galaxy. In the early stages of planet formation, a large amount of water ice may gather with dust and gas. Under certain conditions, water ice combines with other substances and gradually becomes part of the planet. When the water ice gathers to a sufficient amount, it lays the foundation for the abundant water resources on the exoplanet LHS 1140b. In addition, the moderate distance between the exoplanet LHS 1140b and the star also provides liquid conditions for the existence of water on its surface. In the universe, stellar radiation and heat are crucial to the environment of the surrounding planets. If the planet is too close to the star and the temperature is too high, the water is in gaseous form. If it is too far away and the temperature is too low, it is in solid form. The exoplanet LHS 1140b is just the right distance from the host star, allowing water to exist in liquid form, providing the possibility for the birth and development of life.

The research results on the exoplanet LHS 1140b are of great significance, indicating the diversity and complexity of planet formation in the universe. In the past, our understanding of exoplanets was mainly focused on rocky planets similar to the Earth, but the discovery of the exoplanet LHS 1140b made us realize that there are a large number of planets in the universe that are completely different from the Earth, and their environments and characteristics may be beyond imagination.

This "ocean planet" also provides a new direction for the search for extraterrestrial life. Water is one of the important conditions for the existence of life, and the abundant water resources on the exoplanet LHS 1140b increase the possibility of the existence of life. Although no signs of life have been found on this planet yet, with the advancement of science and technology, it is expected that in the future, more advanced observation equipment and detection methods will be used to gain a deeper understanding of this water-filled world, and perhaps discover traces of extraterrestrial life.

For future space exploration, the discovery of the exoplanet LHS 1140b will undoubtedly become an important research goal. Scientists can further observe and study information such as atmospheric composition, geological structure, and ocean circulation to better understand its formation and evolution process. At the same time, it will also provide impetus for the development of more advanced space exploration technology and promote human exploration of the universe.

(The author Duan Yuechu is a member of the China Science Writers Association, and Huang Xianghong is a member of the Hunan Science Writers Association)