Webb discovers the ticking clock over the formation of giant planets

Webb discovers the ticking clock over the formation of giant planets

MIRI observations of 72 disks around young stars show how the mechanisms of gas loss change as the system matures: initially jets and winds associated with magnetic fields dominate, and later atomic and photoid winds become increasingly important. For Jupiter-like gas giants, the implication is clear—they must accumulate their thick atmospheres before the raw material is dispersed into space.