James Webb Telescope detects carbon dioxide on Charon, Pluto’s largest moon, alongside hydrogen peroxide, providing new insights into its surface composition and evolution.

Pluto’s moon Charon from the New Horizons spacecraft
© NASA

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James Webb Telescope Detects Carbon Dioxide on Charon

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting carbon dioxide on the surface of Charon, Pluto’s largest moon. This finding, along with the detection of hydrogen peroxide, provides fresh clues about the moon’s surface chemistry and how it has evolved over time. The data captured by the telescope’s near-infrared spectrograph marks the first time these chemicals have been identified on Charon, offering a new perspective on this distant celestial body.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has taken over where previous missions left off, including NASA’s New Horizons mission, which in 2015 first observed Charon in detail. While New Horizons detected water ice, ammonia, and some organic materials on the moon, its limited wavelength coverage meant certain chemicals went unnoticed. Now, with James Webb Telescope detecting carbon dioxide on Charon, scientists can dig deeper into the composition and evolution of this icy moon.

Expanding Beyond New Horizons’ Discoveries

The New Horizons mission was a pivotal moment for studying Pluto and its moons. It provided high-resolution images of the Pluto system, including detailed views of Charon’s surface. However, as Carly Howett, an associate professor at the University of Oxford, explained, New Horizons had limited wavelength coverage, cutting off at 2.5 microns. This left many chemical signatures on Charon undetected.

That’s where JWST stepped in. With its extended wavelength range up to 5.2 microns, JWST offers scientists a far more detailed look at the moon’s surface composition. James Webb Telescope detecting carbon dioxide on Charon was made possible by this extended range, filling in the gaps left by New Horizons. In addition to carbon dioxide, the telescope’s observations also revealed the presence of hydrogen peroxide on Charon’s surface.

A Deeper Look with Near-Infrared Spectrograph

JWST’s near-infrared spectrograph is key to these new discoveries. The telescope’s ability to detect infrared wavelengths far beyond what was previously possible has allowed scientists to uncover a wealth of new information about Charon. During four observations in 2022 and 2023, JWST focused on Charon’s northern hemisphere, an area previously difficult to study.

The detection of carbon dioxide was particularly exciting for researchers. While CO2 is common throughout the solar system, James Webb Telescope detecting carbon dioxide on Charon helps scientists understand more about how the moon formed and evolved. The placement and structure of the carbon dioxide on the surface hold valuable clues about Charon’s history.

Similarly, the discovery of hydrogen peroxide on Charon’s surface has implications for understanding the moon’s chemical processes. Scientists believe that hydrogen peroxide likely forms through radiolysis, a process where radiation interacts with water molecules on Charon’s surface. This interaction creates hydrogen peroxide, which helps scientists estimate how much radiation Charon has been exposed to over time.

How Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen Peroxide Were Detected

The James Webb Telescope detected carbon dioxide on Charon by analyzing the unique chemical signatures at specific infrared wavelengths. These signatures act like fingerprints, allowing scientists to determine which compounds are present on Charon’s surface.

With JWST’s extended wavelength range, researchers could capture chemical data they previously suspected existed but couldn’t confirm. Silvia Protopapa, co-author of the study from the Southwest Research Institute, explained that this extended coverage was critical in detecting these new chemicals. Without the added infrared range, carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide might have remained hidden on Charon’s surface.

In addition to these specific detections, JWST’s observations have provided a more comprehensive view of the chemical landscape in the Pluto system. The James Webb Telescope detecting carbon dioxide on Charon helps piece together the larger puzzle of the moon’s composition, revealing important details about its evolution.

Understanding Charon’s Evolution and Composition

The discovery of carbon dioxide on Charon provides valuable information about how the moon has changed over time. Scientists believe that the carbon dioxide may be coming from impacts with space rocks, which release the compound from beneath Charon’s surface. This process offers insight into the moon’s geological history and how it interacts with its surroundings in the Kuiper Belt.

In contrast, hydrogen peroxide forms through a completely different process. It is created when radiation from the sun or other sources hits the water molecules on Charon’s surface. This chemical reaction, known as radiolysis, provides clues about the amount and type of radiation that Charon has been exposed to over time. By understanding how much radiation Charon has received, scientists can make better predictions about how the moon has evolved.

The presence of both carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide adds new layers to our understanding of Charon. These findings may also help researchers study other icy moons and objects in the Kuiper Belt, potentially revealing similar chemical processes elsewhere in our solar system.

The Importance of Studying Distant Moons

While Pluto and its moons, including Charon, are far from the Sun in a region known as the Kuiper Belt, they remain a focal point for scientists looking to understand the outer reaches of our solar system. At over 4.8 billion kilometers away, the Pluto system is incredibly cold and inhospitable. However, by studying Charon’s surface, scientists can learn more about how icy bodies like this form and what processes shape their evolution.

The James Webb Telescope detecting carbon dioxide on Charon is a significant step in this journey. These findings are not just important for understanding Charon alone but also for improving our knowledge of other moons and planets at similar distances from the Sun. By analyzing Charon’s surface composition, researchers can make comparisons to other distant moons, such as those orbiting the gas giants in our solar system.

What’s Next for Charon Research?

With the James Webb Telescope detecting carbon dioxide on Charon, scientists are now looking forward to further studies of the moon and its surroundings. Future observations with JWST and other instruments may uncover even more about Charon’s chemical make-up and how it interacts with its environment.

Researchers are particularly interested in seeing how Charon compares to other objects in the Kuiper Belt. As more discoveries are made, scientists hope to uncover the processes that shape these distant moons and how they fit into the larger story of our solar system’s formation.

In summary, James Webb Telescope detecting carbon dioxide on Charon has opened a new chapter in our understanding of Pluto’s largest moon. By revealing new chemical clues, this discovery provides a deeper insight into Charon’s evolution and the processes that continue to shape its surface. As more data from JWST becomes available, we can expect even more exciting revelations about this icy world and its role in the outer solar system.