Published 16:42 IST, January 28th 2020
Large amounts of Oxygen detected in atmosphere of ancient star
In a recent scientific discovery, astronomers discovered huge amounts of oxygen in the atmosphere of one of the oldest stars J0815+4729 to be on record.
- Science News
- 3 min read
In a scientific discovery, astronomers have discovered huge amounts of oxygen in the atmosphere of one of the oldest stars to be on record. According to reports, the recent discovery will help researchers understand the earliest presence of oxygen in the universe. The scientific research was done with the help of an observatory in Hawaii to study the chemical structure of an ancient star code-named J0815+4729.
Oxygen was created through nuclear fusion reactions
According to reports, the study will provide an insight into how oxygen and other chemical elements were produced in the ancient stars of the universe. The research was conducted by a team from the University of California and the University of Cambridge. According to reports, oxygen did not exist in the early universe and it was created through nuclear fusion reactions that took place inside the ancient stars that had masses 10 times greater than the sun.
The J0815+4729 star is 5,000 light-years away towards the constellation Lynx. A scientist, Jonay Gonzalez said that the initial composition of the star gave an indication that it was formed during the first hundred million years after the Big Bang took place. Another researcher said that only a few ancient stars are known in the galaxy to have oxygen but J0815+4729 is the only one known to have such large amounts of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen compared to their iron content.
Scientists tried to measure seasonal changes in the gases
Scientists at NASA reportedly tried to measure seasonal changes in the gases that fill the air directly above the surface of Mars and observed the fluctuating level of Oxygen in the atmosphere. Melissa Trainer, a planetary scientist at NASA and a team member on the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) experiment said that the gases are well behaved, however, Oxygen appears to be behaving in an unexpected and altogether 'bizarre manner'.
According to the scientists, the atmospheric Oxygen rising and falling at similar times suggested that something is making or unleashing stores of Oxygen in the warmer months and trapping or swelling it up during frigid ones. They believed that this could be a geological, chemical, atmospheric or, perhaps even a biological process, however, the scientists are still not sure. They further added the Oxygen's trampolining is certainly a local feature but it could be a regional or even global peculiarity.
(with inputs from agencies)
Updated 16:42 IST, January 28th 2020