Astrophysicists at the University of Birmingham have used data from the NASA Kepler space telescope to discover a class of extrasolar planets whose atmospheres have been stripped away by their host stars, according to research published in the journal Nature Communications today (11 April 2016).
According to the study, planets with gaseous atmospheres that lie very close to their host stars are bombarded by a torrent of high-energy radiation. Due to their proximity to the star, the heat that the planets suffer means that their 'envelopes' have been blown away by intense radiation. This violent 'stripping' occurs in planets that are made up of a rocky core with a gaseous outer layer.
The scientists used asteroseismology to characterize the stars and their planets to levels of accuracy not achieved before for these systems. Asteroseismology uses the natural resonances of stars to reveal their properties and inner structures.
The results of the study have important implications for understanding how stellar systems, like our own solar system, and their planets, evolve over time and the crucial role played by the host star.
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