Many planets at the edge of the solar system have extreme and terrible conditions. One of them is exoplanet K2-141b which is known as the 'lava planet'.
Scientists from McGill University, York University, and the Indian Institute of Science Education, used computer simulations to predict conditions in K2-141b. The results of his research were published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.
From the results of the research, scientists found this exoplanet was showered with rock, with supersonic winds with a speed of 5,000 km / h and a magma ocean as deep as 100 km, as quoted by us from SciTechDaily.
This condition is caused by the position of K2-141b which is very close to the star it is surrounded by. Its position with respect to the star is also locked, so one part of the planet continues to face the star and is very hot.
Scientists estimate the part of the exoplanet that is not facing the star has a temperature of -200 degrees Celsius. While the part facing the star temperature can reach 3,000 degrees Celsius.
This temperature can not only make the rocks melt but to evaporate, which eventually creates a thin atmosphere in some parts. Uniquely, the steam from the melted rocks due to the extreme heat turns into rain.
The steam formed from the minerals contained in the rocks moves to cold areas due to supersonic winds which then rain down on the magma ocean. The waves that arise due to this phenomenon then flow to the hot part of the exoplanet to evaporate again and continue the cycle.
However, the cycle in K2-141b is not as stable as the rain cycle on Earth. The ocean of magma returning to the hot parts of the exoplanet flows quite slowly and scientists expect its mineral composition to change over time.
"All rock planets, including Earth, started out as molten worlds but then cooled rapidly and became solid. Lava planets give us a rare glimpse at this stage of planetary evolution," said scientist Nicolas Cowan of McGill University in a statement.
The next step, scientists will test if their predictions are correct. They now have data from the Spitzer Space Telescope that will give them a glimpse of the temperature on exoplanet K2-141b.
They hope that the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in 2021 will help them verify if the atmosphere on the exoplanet matches expectations.