Identification of carbon dioxide in an exoplanet atmosphere

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a key chemical species that is found in a wide range of planetary atmospheres. In the context of exoplanets, CO2 is an indicator of the metal enrichment (that is, elements heavier than helium, also called ‘metallicity’)1–3, and thus the formation processes of the primary atmospheres of hot gas giants4–6. It is also one of the most promising species to detect in the secondary atmospheres of terrestrial exoplanets7–9. Previous photometric measurements of transiting planets with the Spitzer Space Telescope have given hints of the presence of CO2, but have not yielded definitive detections owing to the lack of unambiguous spectroscopic identification10–12. Here we present the detection of CO2 in the atmosphere of the gas giant exoplanet WASP-39b from transmission spectroscopy observations obtained with JWST as part of the Early Release Science programme13,14. The data used in this study span 3.0–5.5 micrometres in wavelength and show a prominent CO2 absorption feature at 4.3 micrometres (26-sigma significance). The overall spectrum is well matched by one-dimensional, ten-times solar metallicity models that assume radiative–convective–thermochemical equilibrium and have moderate cloud opacity. These models predict that the atmosphere should have water, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide in addition to CO2, but little methane. Furthermore, we also tentatively detect a small absorption feature near 4.0 micrometres that is not reproduced by these models

Early Release Science of the exoplanetWASP-39b with JWST NIRISS

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Nature Research via the DOI in this recordData Availability: The raw data from this study are publicly available via the Space Science Telescope Institute's Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (https://archive.stsci.edu/). The data which was used to create all of the figures in this manuscript are freely available on Zenodo and GitHub (Zenodo Link;https://github.com/afeinstein20/wasp39b_niriss_paper). All additional data is available upon request.Code Availability: The following are open-source pipelines written in Python that are available either through the Python Package Index (PyPI) or GitHub that were used throughout this work: Eureka! (https://github.com/kevin218/Eureka); nirHiss (https://github.com/afeinstein20/nirhiss); supreme-SPOON (https://github.com/radicamc/supreme-spoon); transitspectroscopy (https://github.com/nespinoza/transitspectroscopy/tree/dev); iraclis (https://github.com/uclexoplanets/Iraclis); juliet (https://github.com/nespinoza/juliet); chromatic (https://github.com/zkbt/chromatic); chromatic_fitting (https://github.com/catrionamurray/chromatic_fitting); ExoTiC-LD54, 121 (https://github.com/Exo-TiC/ExoTiC-LD); ExoTETHyS122 (https://github.com/uclexoplanets/ExoTETHyS); PICASO88,89 (https://github.com/natashabatalha/picaso); Virga94, 95 (https://github.com/natashabatalha/virga); CHIMERA (https://github.com/mrline/CHIMERA); PyMultiNest (https://github.com/JohannesBuchner/PyMultiNest); MultiNest (https://github.com/JohannesBuchner/MultiNest)The Saturn-mass exoplanet WASP-39b has been the subject of extensive efforts to determine its atmospheric properties using transmission spectroscopy. However, these efforts have been hampered by modelling degeneracies between composition and cloud properties that are caused by limited data quality. Here, we present the transmission spectrum of WASP-39 b obtained using the SOSS mode of the NIRISS instrument on JWST. This spectrum spans 0.6–2.8m in wavelength and reveals multiple water absorption bands, the potassium resonance doublet, and signatures of clouds. The precision and broad wavelength coverage of NIRISS-SOSS allows us to break model degeneracies between cloud properties and the atmospheric composition of WASP-39b, favouring a heavy element enhancement (“metallicity”) of ~10–30x the solar value, a sub-solar carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratio, and a solar-to-super-solar potassium-to-oxygen (K/O) ratio. The observations are also best explained by wavelength-dependent, non-gray clouds with inhomogeneous coverage of the planet’s terminator.Leverhulme TrustUK Research and Innovatio

Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRSpec G395H

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Nature Research via the DOI in this recordData Availability: The data used in this paper are associated with JWST program ERS 1366 (observation #4) and are available from the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (https://mast.stsci.edu). Science data processing version (SDP_VER) 2022_2a generated the uncalibrated data that we downloaded from MAST. We used JWST Calibration Pipeline software version (CAL_VER) 1.5.3 with modifications described in the text. We used calibration reference data from context (CRDS_CTX) 0916, except as noted in the text. All the data and models presented in this publication can be found at 10.5281/zenodo.7185300.Code Availability: The codes used in this publication to extract, reduce and analyze the data are as follows; STScI JWST Calibration pipeline45 (https://github.com/spacetelescope/jwst), Eureka!53 (https://eurekadocs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), ExoTiC-JEDI47 (https://github.com/ExoTiC/ExoTiC-JEDI), juliet71 (https://juliet.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), Tiberius15,49,50, transitspectroscopy51 (https://github.com/nespinoza/transitspectroscopy). In addition, these made use of batman65 (http://lkreidberg.github.io/batman/docs/html/index.html), celerite86 (https://celerite.readthedocs.io/en/stable/), chromatic (https://zkbt.github.io/chromatic/), Dynesty72 (https://dynesty.readthedocs.io/en/stable/index.html), emcee69 (https://emcee.readthedocs.io/en/stable/), exoplanet83 (https://docs.exoplanet.codes/en/latest/), ExoTEP75–77, ExoTHETyS79 (https://github.com/ucl-exoplanets/ExoTETHyS), ExoTiCISM57 (https://github.com/Exo-TiC/ExoTiC-ISM), ExoTiC-LD58 (https://exoticld.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), george68 (https://george.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) JAX82 (https://jax.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), LMFIT70 (https://lmfit.github.io/lmfit-py/), Pylightcurve78 (https://github.com/ucl-exoplanets/pylightcurve), Pymc3138 (https://docs.pymc.io/en/v3/index.html) and Starry84 (https://starry.readthedocs.io/en/latest/), each of which use the standard python libraries astropy139,140, matplotlib141, numpy142, pandas143, scipy64 and xarray144. The atmospheric models used to fit the data can be found at ATMO[Tremblin2015,Drummond2016,Goyal2018,Goyal2020]88–91, PHOENIX92–94, PICASO98,99 (https://natashabatalha.github.io/picaso/), Virga98,107 (https://natashabatalha.github.io/virga/), and gCMCRT115 (https://github.com/ELeeAstro/gCMCRT).Measuring the abundances of carbon and oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres is considered a crucial avenue for unlocking the formation and evolution of exoplanetary systems. Access to an exoplanet’s chemical inventory requires high precision observations, often inferred from individual molecular detections with low-resolution space-based and high-resolution ground-based facilities. Here we report the medium-resolution (R≈600) transmission spectrum of an exoplanet atmosphere between 3–5 μm covering multiple absorption features for the Saturn-mass exoplanet WASP-39b, obtained with JWST NIRSpec G395H. Our observations achieve 1.46× photon precision, providing an average transit depth uncertainty of 221 ppm per spectroscopic bin, and present minimal impacts from systematic effects. We detect significant absorption from CO2 (28.5σ ) and H2O (21.5σ ), and identify SO2 as the source of absorption at 4.1 μ m (4.8σ ). Best-fit atmospheric models range between 3× and 10× solar metallicity, with sub-solar to solar C/O ratios. These results, including the detection of SO2, underscore the importance of characterising the chemistry in exoplanet atmospheres, and showcase NIRSpec G395H as an excellent mode for time series observations over this critical wavelength range.Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)UKR

Genome-wide association studies of cancer: current insights and future perspectives.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) provide an agnostic approach for investigating the genetic basis of complex diseases. In oncology, GWAS of nearly all common malignancies have been performed, and over 450 genetic variants associated with increased risks have been identified. As well as revealing novel pathways important in carcinogenesis, these studies have shown that common genetic variation contributes substantially to the heritable risk of many common cancers. The clinical application of GWAS is starting to provide opportunities for drug discovery and repositioning as well as for cancer prevention. However, deciphering the functional and biological basis of associations is challenging and is in part a barrier to fully unlocking the potential of GWAS

Locus of control and contraceptive knowledge, attitude and practice among university students Locus de control y conocimiento, actitud y práctica contraceptivas entre adolescentes universitarios Lócus de controle e conhecimento, atitude e prática contraceptivas entre adolescentes universitários

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between locus of control and knowledge, attitude and practice regarding pill and condom use among university students. METHODS: The inquiry was developed in Campinas, a city in Southeastern Brazil, in 2006. A total of 295 adolescent newcomers to a public university answered a structured questionnaire and Levenson's multidimensional locus of control scale. The scores of the dimensions of locus of control were calculated and Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to assess their correlation with knowledge and practice concerning pill and condom use. In order to assess the relationship between the dimensions of locus of control and sociodemographic variables and variables related to the individuals' sex life, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were used. RESULTS: Male adolescents had higher scores of powerful others externality when compared to female adolescents (p=0.01). Students living alone had lower internality (p=0.01). When locus of control was compared to condom use in the first intercourse, considering only the 102 students who informed the age of the beginning of sexual activity, greater internality was found among male adolescents who did not use condoms (p<0.05). When the locus of control scores were correlated with contraceptive knowledge and practice, it was found that the higher the powerful others externality locus, the lower the adequate use of contraceptive methods (r = -0.22, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The powerful others externality locus influences the practice of contraceptive use in this group of adolescents.<br>OBJETIVO: Evaluar la relación del locus de control con conocimiento, actitud y práctica relacionados a la píldora y al preservativo entre adolescentes estudiantes universitarios. MÉTODOS: Estudio tipo pesquisa desarrollado en Campinas, Sureste de Brasil, en 2006. El total de 295 adolescentes ingresados de una universidad pública respondió a un cuestionario estructurado y a la escala multidimensional de locus de control de Levenson. Fueron calculados los escores de las dimensiones del locus de control y el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman para evaluar la correlación con el conocimiento y la práctica del uso de píldora y preservativo. Para evaluar la relación entre las dimensiones del locus de control y las variables sociodemográficas y variables relacionadas a la vida sexual fueron usadas las pruebas de Kruskal-Wallis y Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Los adolescentes del sexo masculino presentaron mayor externalidad- otros poderosos cuando se compararon con las del sexo femenino (p=0,001). Estudiantes que vivían solos tenían una internalidad más baja (p=0,001). Cuando el locus de control fue comparado con el uso de preservativo en la primera relación sexual, considerándose apenas los 102 estudiantes que informaron la edad de inicio de la actividad sexual, fue encontrada mayor internalidad entre los adolescentes del sexo masculino que no usaron preservativo (p?0,05). Al correlacionar los escores del locus de control con el conocimiento contraceptivo y práctica, se observó que cuanto más elevado el escore del locus de control externalidad otros-poderosos, menor el uso adecuado de métodos contraceptivos (r=-0,22, p=0,03). CONCLUSIONES: El locus externalidad otros-poderosos influencia la práctica de uso de método contraceptivo en ese grupo de adolescentes.<br>OBJETIVO: Avaliar a relação do lócus de controle com conhecimento, atitude e prática relacionados à pílula e ao preservativo entre adolescentes estudantes universitários. MÉTODOS: Estudo tipo inquérito desenvolvido em Campinas, SP, em 2006. O total de 295 adolescentes ingressantes de uma universidade pública respondeu a um questionário estruturado e à escala multidimensional de lócus de controle de Levenson. Foram calculados os escores das dimensões do lócus de controle e o coeficiente de correlação de Spearman para avaliar a correlação com o conhecimento e a prática do uso de pílula e preservativo. Para avaliar a relação entre as dimensões do lócus de controle e as variáveis sociodemográficas e variáveis relacionadas à vida sexual foram usados os testes de Kruskal-Wallis e Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Os adolescentes do sexo masculino apresentaram maior externalidade-outros poderosos quando comparados com as do sexo feminino (p=0,01). Estudantes que viviam sozinhos tinham uma internalidade mais baixa (p=0,01). Quando o lócus de controle foi comparado com o uso de preservativo na primeira relação sexual, considerando-se apenas os 102 estudantes que informaram a idade de início da atividade sexual, foi encontrada maior internalidade entre os adolescentes do sexo masculino que não usaram preservativo (p<0,05). Ao correlacionar os escores do lócus de controle com o conhecimento contraceptivo e prática, observou-se que quanto mais elevado o escore do lócus de controle externalidade outros-poderosos, menor o uso adequado de métodos contraceptivos (r = -0,22, p=0.03). CONCLUSÕES: O lócus externalidade outros-poderosos influencia a prática de uso de método contraceptivo nesse grupo de adolescentes