Researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have taken a first look at their data that probe the chemistry of the regions of disks around young stars where rocky planets form. Already at that stage, the data reveal the disks to be chemically diverse and rich in molecules such as water, carbon dioxide, and organic hydrocarbon compounds like benzene as well as tiny grains of carbon and silicates. The ongoing MPIA-led JWST observing program MINDS bringing together several European research institutes promises to provide a revolutionary view on the conditions that precede the birth of planets and, at the same time, determine their compositions.
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Source: Phys.org