JWST Exoplanetary Worlds and Elemental Survey (JEWELS). I. High-precision Chemical Abundances of 20 FGK Planet-hosting Stars from JWST Cycle 2

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Authors: Qinghui Sun
Cited by: 2
References: 83

Abstract

Abstract We present high-precision chemical abundances for 20 FGK stars hosting planets observed in JWST Cycle 2 GO programs. Using high-resolution, high-signal-to-noise ratio spectra from the ESO and Keck archives, we perform a strict line-by-line differential analysis relative to the Sun to derive stellar parameters and abundances of 19 elements from C to Zn. The stars span effective temperatures of 4500–6500 K and metallicities from −0.57 to +0.50 dex. The sample includes hosts of both gas giants and terrestrial planets, allowing direct comparison between stellar composition and planetary properties. Several of the giant planets orbit metal-rich stars. The detailed abundance patterns show clear chemical diversity, including carbon-enhanced but mildly metal-poor stars (TOI-824, TOI-561, TOI-1130, GJ 9827) and α -enhanced metal-poor stars (TOI-561, GJ 9827, TOI-824). These variations trace differences in protoplanetary disk composition and may influence planetary interiors and atmospheric chemistry. The planet hosts show a range of [C/O] ratios, and the diverse [Mg/Si] ratios may suggest varied interior compositions for their rocky planets. This homogeneous stellar abundance, together with future uniform JWST planetary atmosphere measurements, provides a foundation for exploring the planet mass–metallicity relation and the connection between stellar chemistry and planetary formation pathways. These results constitute the first step in a larger survey spanning multiple JWST cycles to systematically examine how host star composition shapes exoplanetary systems.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Stellar planetary and galactic studies Astronomy and Astrophysical Research Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies

Publication details

Journal / source
The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series
Publisher
American Astronomical Society
Volume
282
Issue
2
Pages
37–37
Publication date
20 January 2026
Language
EN