Correcting NIRISS charge migration reveals KELT-7 b as a metal-enriched (~92x solar) ultra-hot Jupiter with H2O, CO2 and TiO but no H- or clouds, orbiting a young metal-rich star.
Chemical enrichment of giant planets and discs due to pebble drift
2 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
abstract
Chemical compositions of giant planets provide a means to constrain how and where they form. Traditionally, super-stellar elemental abundances in giant planets were thought to be possible due to accretion of metal-rich solids. Such enrichments are accompanied by oxygen-rich compositions (i.e. C/O below the disc's value, assumed to be solar, C/O=0.54). Without solid accretion the planets are expected to have sub-solar metallicity, but high C/O ratios. This arises because the solids are dominated by oxygen-rich species, e.g. H$_2$O and CO$_2$, which freeze out in the disk earlier than CO, leaving the gas metal poor but carbon-rich. Here we demonstrate that super-solar metallicities can be achieved by gas accretion alone when growth and radial drift of pebbles are considered in protoplanetary discs. Through this mechanism planets may simultaneously acquire super-solar metallicities and super-solar C/O ratios. This happens because the pebbles transport volatile species inward as they migrate through the disc, enriching the gas at snow lines where the volatiles sublimate. Furthermore, the planet's composition can be used to constrain where it formed. Since high C/H and C/O ratios cannot be created by accreting solids, it may be possible to distinguish between formation via pebble accretion and planetesimal accretion by the level of solid enrichment. Finally, we expect that Jupiter's C/O ratio should be near or above solar if its enhanced carbon abundance came through accreting metal rich gas. Thus Juno's measurement of Jupiter's C/O ratio should determine whether Jupiter accreted its metals from carbon rich gas or oxygen rich solids.
fields
astro-ph.EP 2years
2026 2representative citing papers
Older Upper Scorpius disks show reduced molecular emission and hints of higher inner-gas C/O ratios than young disks, indicating chemical evolution consistent with pebble drift.
citing papers explorer
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Mitigating Charge Migration in JWST NIRISS Reveals That KELT-7 b is a Metal-enriched Ultra-hot Jupiter Orbiting a Young Metal-rich Star
Correcting NIRISS charge migration reveals KELT-7 b as a metal-enriched (~92x solar) ultra-hot Jupiter with H2O, CO2 and TiO but no H- or clouds, orbiting a young metal-rich star.
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From Young to Older Disks: JWST/MIRI Evidence for Fading Molecular Emission and Hints for Elevated C/O in Upper Scorpius
Older Upper Scorpius disks show reduced molecular emission and hints of higher inner-gas C/O ratios than young disks, indicating chemical evolution consistent with pebble drift.