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Hot Jupiter Atmospheric Escape

Interactive 3D simulation of XUV-driven hydrodynamic escape from a hot Jupiter: watch its hydrogen atmosphere blow off into a comet-like trailing tail, with the energy-limited mass-loss rate and Roche-lobe tidal enhancement computed live from orbital distance, planet mass, and stellar activity.

Space & Astronomy3DAdvanced60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 2D version

Hot Jupiters — giant planets that orbit only a few stellar radii from their star — bathe in extreme-ultraviolet radiation intense enough to strip their hydrogen atmospheres away entirely over billions of years. This simulation models that XUV-driven hydrodynamic escape with the energy-limited mass-loss formula, including the Roche-lobe tidal enhancement that makes the closest, lightest planets lose mass fastest. Adjust the orbital distance, planet mass, stellar activity and heating efficiency to see the mass-loss rate respond in real time, while a physically integrated particle stream shows the escaping gas shear into the trailing, comet-like tail actually observed around real evaporating exoplanets.

⚙ Under the hood

Watch a hot Jupiter's hydrogen atmosphere blow off into a comet-like trailing tail as extreme-UV radiation from its host star drives hydrodynamic escape, with the energy-limited mass-loss rate and Roche-lobe tidal enhancement computed live from orbital distance, planet mass, and stellar activity.

exoplanethot jupiteratmospheric escapephotoevaporationastrophysics

3D · Three.js / WebGL renderer · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install