Scientists Discover Methane on Dwarf Planet Makemake
Scientists have made a significant discovery on the dwarf planet Makemake, detecting the presence of methane gas, which suggests that this celestial body is more active than previously thought. This finding was made by a research team led by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Makemake, one of the largest and brightest objects beyond Neptune, is now only the second trans-Neptunian object, following Pluto, to have confirmed gas presence. According to Silvia Protopapa, the lead author of a forthcoming paper in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, “The Webb telescope has now revealed that methane is also present in the gas phase above the surface, a finding that makes Makemake even more fascinating.”
Implications of the Discovery
This discovery indicates that Makemake is not merely a remnant of the outer solar system but a dynamic world where methane ice is actively evolving. With a diameter of approximately 890 miles (1,430 kilometers), it measures about two-thirds the size of Pluto. The methane was detected through a spectral signature of solar light re-emitted by methane molecules, showcasing the advanced capabilities of the JWST.
The presence of methane gas could imply a few scenarios. It may suggest a tenuous atmosphere surrounding Makemake or transient activities similar to those observed in comets when volatiles sublimate. Additionally, the gas could originate from cryovolcanic plumes. The study indicates that if the atmosphere is a permanent feature, it is extremely thin, with surface pressure around 10 picobars, which is 100 billion times less than Earth’s atmospheric pressure.
The authors of the study also created models to simulate scenarios in which methane is released in plume-like outbursts. These simulations indicate that methane could be expelled at rates of several hundred kilograms per second, suggesting an activity level comparable to the water plumes found on Saturn’s moon Enceladus.
Future Research Directions
As research continues, future observations using the JWST at higher spectral resolution will be crucial in determining whether the methane originates from a thin bound atmosphere or from plume-like outgassing. Ian Wong, a staff scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute and co-author of the paper, emphasized the importance of these upcoming studies.
Previous observations of Makemake during its transit across a star indicated that it did not possess a significant atmosphere, although they did not rule out the possibility of a much thinner one. The paper titled “JWST Detection of Hydrocarbon Ices and Methane Gas on Makemake” is currently available on the preprint repository arXiv.
The discovery of methane on Makemake not only enriches our understanding of this dwarf planet but also opens new avenues for research into the dynamics of icy bodies in the outer solar system.
