Dimethyl Sulphide found on exoplanet K2 -18b?

[walterpthefirst]

Webb Discovers Methane, Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of K2-18 b | NASA

 

The discovery of methane in the atmosphere of this planet is, by itself, interesting.  Periodic surges of methane appear to have been detected on Mars and are still being investigated.  As far as we know this gas can be produced by geological processes or by organic life.  So, the appearance of methane on Mars and K2-18b is not a certain indicator of life on those planets.

 

Of far greater interest is the James Webb Telescope's apparent detection of the gas Dimethyl Sulphide on K218b.  On Earth that gas is only associated with organic life.  There is no other known way that it can be produced.  

 

Dimethyl sulfide - Wikipedia

 

If all of this pans out there will be a delicious slice of irony in this story.  K2-18b was only discovered in the first place when the Kepler space telescope developed a major fault and had to be repurposed to look at different areas of the galaxy than it was originally designed to.  Meaning that the James Webb Space Telescope wouldn't necessarily have trained its gaze upon this planet at all.

 

Kepler space telescope - Wikipedia

 

Such is life. (Pun intended)

 

 

Thank you,

 

Walter.

[walterpthefirst]

Here's a Scientific American blogger reacting to the 2019 news of the Hubble Space Telescope finding indications that K2-18b could harbour life.

 

https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/no-the-exoplanet-k2-18b-is-not-habitable/

 

But if the Dimethyl sulphide result pans out we're going to have to find an explanation for it.

 

An entirely novel, but inorganic process that creates it?

 

Or something organic and living?

 

 

Stay tuned!

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

Walter.

[walterpthefirst]

As you can probably tell, I'm pursuing this one.

 

 

Currently this story isn't a big item but I believe that it has the potential to be the biggest story of our lives - assuming that certain indications pan out.  However, we've been in similar situations before, where over-enthusiastic people have overegged science data about other planets.  Extreme caution is called for and nothing should be taken as read nor taken for granted.  This is science and we won't get anywhere without confirmed data and solid evidence.  Speculation and wishful thinking just won't cut it.

 

 

Anyway, here are some more relevant links.

 

https://www.openexoplanetcatalogue.com/planet/EPIC 201912552 b/ 

This link has two useful diagrams, one showing the size K2-18b versus the planets in our solar system and the other showing where it and its companion planet, K2-18c sit in relation to their host star and its habitable zone. 

(Please note that EPIC 201912552b is an alternative name for K2-18b.  They are one and the same exoplanet.)

 

http://exoplanet.eu/catalog/k2-18_b/

A lot of stats on this page, but most interesting is the Calculated Temperature of K2-18b. 

284 degrees Kelvin (+ or - 15 degrees K) equates to 10.85 degrees Celsius or 51.53 degrees Fahrenheit. 

For comparison, the average temperature of the planet Earth is 287.05 Kelvin, which equals 13.9 degrees Celsius or 57.02 degrees Fahrenheit.

Very similar!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hycean_planet

This Wiki page describes what type of planet K2-18b could be.  There is no such corresponding type of planet in our solar system.  Therefore, we are faced with many unknowns.  This is literally unexplored territory.

 

 

I'm currently trying to find out the likelihood of K2-18b being tidally locked to its star, with one half of the planet permanently in sunlight and the other in permanent darkness.  If I'm successful I'll report back here with the news.

 

 

Thank you,

 

Walter.

 

 

[TheRedneckProfessor]

Have they actually found intelligent life on this planet, yet, Walt?

[walterpthefirst]

I'll let one of my countrymen answer that question, Prof.

 

 

 

[pantheory]

On 9/14/2023 at 12:52 AM, walterpthefirst said:

I'll let one of my countrymen answer that question, Prof.

 

 

 

 

 I like this video a lot. It's funny, baffled housewife, nicely informative, aesthetic, including a well dressed man, singing true lyrics, with a good singing voice, as well as nicely produced, directed, and special effects IMO.  

I watched it 3 times

[pantheory]

On 9/12/2023 at 1:04 AM, walterpthefirst said:

Webb Discovers Methane, Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere of K2-18 b | NASA

 

The discovery of methane in the atmosphere of this planet is, by itself, interesting.  Periodic surges of methane appear to have been detected on Mars and are still being investigated.  As far as we know this gas can be produced by geological processes or by organic life.  So, the appearance of methane on Mars and K2-18b is not a certain indicator of life on those planets.

 

Of far greater interest is the James Webb Telescope's apparent detection of the gas Dimethyl Sulphide on K218b.  On Earth that gas is only associated with organic life.  There is no other known way that it can be produced.  

 

Dimethyl sulfide - Wikipedia

 

If all of this pans out there will be a delicious slice of irony in this story.  K2-18b was only discovered in the first place when the Kepler space telescope developed a major fault and had to be repurposed to look at different areas of the galaxy than it was originally designed to.  Meaning that the James Webb Space Telescope wouldn't necessarily have trained its gaze upon this planet at all.

 

Kepler space telescope - Wikipedia

 

Such is life. (Pun intended)

 

 

Thank you,

 

Walter.

 

yes, It could mean life but the odds for it are very very very small IMHO. The source of the chemistry, as you have mentioned, could be a non-organic process unknown to us.

 

And yes, it would be fantastically amazing if the chemistry source were a type of life.