Variable X-ray flux may explain variable helium escape from the habitable-zone exoplanet LHS 1140b

arXiv:2609.31859 · astro-ph.EP · Submitted 2026-09-25 · Read on arXiv

astro-ph.EP

Submitted: 2026-09-25

Updated: 2026-09-25

Terminology

• Aperture — 11× in this paper · explained in 1 episode
• Abundance — 2× in this paper · explained in 1 episode
• Bayesian X-ray Analysis — 2× in this paper
• Astrophysical Plasma Emission Code — 1× in this paper
• European Photon Imaging Camera — 1× in this paper
• James Webb Space Telescope — 1× in this paper
• Optical Monitor — 1× in this paper
• XMM-Newton Pipeline Processing System — 1× in this paper
• alpha — 1× in this paper · explained in 1 episode

Sources

• No Helium Detected in LHS 1140 b from Four JWST NIRISS/SOSS Transits
• Helium escaping from the atmosphere of a nearby rocky exoplanet orbiting in a habitable zone
• Strict Limits on Helium Absorption from LHS 1140 b from Four JWST NIRISS Transits
• Coronal activity cycles in action - X-rays from alpha Centauri A/B
• Evidence for an Extended Hydrogen Outflow on WASP-12 b

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