Characterizing the Atmosphere of an Extrasolar Planet

Details Characterizing the Atmosphere of an Extrasolar Planet Characterizing the Atmosphere of an Extrasolar Planet

Jul 2002

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2002hst..prop.9447c&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #9447

Physics

Hst Proposal Id #9447

Scientific paper

HD 209458 b is the first extrasolar planet known to transit the disk of its parent star. Precise measurement of both the photometric transit curve and the radial velocity orbit has allowed for an accurate estimation of the mass, radius, average density, and surface gravity. Numerous theoretical investigations of the planetary atmospheres have been presented in the literature, but no data capable of addressing these has yet been published. We propose to use the method of transmission spectroscopy to constrain greatly models of the planetary atmosphere. We will use STIS to disperse the stellar flux over a large number of detector pixels. The photometric signal is produced by summing the counts over a desired band. For each of twelve bands spanning the UV to the near-IR, we will obtain sufficient precision to detect variations in the transit depth greater than 5 X 10^-5. We have already made a detection of the sodium absorption signature in the planetary atmosphere. With these new data, we will be able to detect, if present, absorption due to Rayleigh scattering, water bands, and/or strong alkali metal lines. These observations will allow us to determine the broad characteristics of the planetary atmosphere. For example, we will be able to distinguish between models with a high cloud deck, and those with no clouds but reduced chemical abundances.

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