Scientists detect signs of magnetic fields on distant planets
Astronomers have uncovered the strongest evidence to date that planets beyond our Solar System possess magnetic fields, a breakthrough that could help scientists better understand how planets evolve and whether some worlds may be capable of supporting life, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The discovery comes from an international team of researchers who studied seven giant exoplanets orbiting distant stars. Using observations from the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile and the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, the team measured powerful winds in the planets' atmospheres and found unexpected results.
The planets examined are similar in size to Jupiter but orbit extremely close to their host stars. Because they are tidally locked, one side permanently faces the star while the other remains in constant darkness. This creates extreme temperature differences and drives intense atmospheric winds.
Researchers recorded wind speeds ranging from about 7,200 km/h to more than 25,000 km/h, far exceeding the fastest winds observed on Jupiter. However, when the scientists compared the planets, they noticed a surprising trend: the hottest planets had slower winds than expected.
According to the study, published in Nature Astronomy, the most likely explanation is the presence of strong magnetic fields. These magnetic fields appear to act like a brake, slowing the movement of charged particles in the planets' atmospheres and reducing wind speeds.
By analyzing this effect, the team was able to estimate the strength of the planets' magnetic fields. The results suggest that the fields are comparable to those found in our own Solar System, roughly four times stronger than Saturn's magnetic field and about half as strong as Jupiter's.
Lead author Julia Seidel, an astronomer at the Laboratoire Lagrange, said the findings open an entirely new avenue for exoplanet research, allowing scientists to compare the magnetic environments of distant worlds for the first time.
“It’s the first time we can compare the magnetic environments of other worlds — a key step toward ultimately understanding which planets can stay alive, keep their water, and perhaps even, one day, host life as we know it,” noted Seidel.
The discovery may also have implications for the appearance of these distant worlds. On Earth, interactions between charged particles and the planet's magnetic field create the northern and southern lights. Scientists believe similar processes could produce even more dramatic auroras on some of the studied exoplanets.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Jupiter’s dust ring might have built early planets.