Virtual laboratories offer new perspectives to exoplanet formation and their atmospheres
Virtual laboratories are crucial for simulating unexplored physico-chemical environments, particularly for studying planet-forming disks and exoplanet atmospheres. With the support of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the CHAMELEON project successfully developed such platforms to thoroughly analyse current and future protoplanetary disk and exoplanet observations.
Virtual laboratories helping bridge gaps in observational data
“Virtual laboratories are instrumental in overcoming the sometimes inconsistent or incomplete observational data sets by integrating diverse theoretical models and advanced computational methods,” notes project coordinator Ruth-Sophie Taubner. Drawing insights from numerous scientific fields including astrophysics, computational chemistry, physics, geosciences, and mathematics, these cutting-edge tools allow researchers to simulate and analyse complex physical and chemical processes. CHAMELEON refined thermochemical models of protoplanetary disks to better understand the conditions influencing planet formation and bridging these models with observational data. “We enhanced exoplanetary atmosphere models by factoring in host star irradiation, cloud formation, lightning and charge processes to maximise data use from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and future missions,” explains Taubner. Researchers also used theoretical models as virtual laboratories to predict emerging spectra, comparing these predictions with data from the Hubble Space Telescope and JWST.
New tools and machine learning techniques advancing exoplanet research
“We expanded chemical rate networks in planet-forming disk models to include size-dependent dust charging and larger hydrocarbon molecule production by using machine-learning-based Bayesian retrievals to analyse observational data,” states Taubner. “We study the atmospheric composition of both old (more than 1 billion years) exoplanets which are irradiated by their host stars as well as younger, self-luminous ones.” A notable achievement has been the 3D atmospheric simulation of the warm extrasolar Saturn HATS-6b, predicting its cloud and chemistry distribution. Virtual laboratories enabled comprehensive modelling of physical processes, while new tools were developed to simulate synthetic JWST observations of e.g. mini-Neptunes. Quantum-chemical simulations explored the formation and stability of metal oxide clusters in the atmospheres of hot exoplanets, enhancing our understanding of these exotic environments.
Bright future for research into exoplanet science
CHAMELEON has advanced exoplanet science by training 15 PhD students and producing over 140 papers, four times the average output of former Marie Curie innovative training networks in physics. Among these, 28 papers were first-authored by students, and more than 40 papers focused on JWST observations. By challenging conventional thinking, the project has introduced new approaches and insights, paving the way for future scientific inquiries and career paths for its early-stage researchers. Within this project a computational platform was developed to study exoplanets and their formation environments at different levels of complexity, integrating observational data with state-of-the-art simulations.
Bridging art and astrophysics
To mark the successful conclusion of CHAMELEON, a final conference was organised at the University of Copenhagen, gathering scientists from diverse fields including exoplanets, disk evolution, exotic life, and the future of life and humanity. Co-supported by the Copenhagen Center for ExoLife Sciences, the event underscored the network’s findings on chemical diversity in planet-forming disks and exoplanet atmospheres. This gathering also served as a platform for envisioning future collaborations and projects beyond the funding period. An art exhibition called ‘Exploring Exoplanets’ was also held in parallel, highlighting the ‘Arts, Education and Science Outreach’ initiative of the CHAMELEON network. This exhibition merged art and science, showcasing the creative intersection of astrophysics and artistic expression.
Keywords
CHAMELEON, exoplanet, virtual laboratories, planet-forming disks, atmospheres, STEAM