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Title: A FRAMEWORK FOR CHARACTERIZING THE ATMOSPHERES OF LOW-MASS LOW-DENSITY TRANSITING PLANETS

Abstract

We perform modeling investigations to aid in understanding the atmospheres and composition of small planets of ∼2-4 Earth radii, which are now known to be common in our Galaxy. GJ 1214b is a well-studied example whose atmospheric transmission spectrum has been observed by many investigators. Here we take a step back from GJ 1214b to investigate the role that planetary mass, composition, and temperature play in impacting the transmission spectra of these low-mass low-density (LMLD) planets. Under the assumption that these planets accrete modest hydrogen-dominated atmospheres and planetesimals, we use population synthesis models to show that predicted metal enrichments of the H/He envelope are high, with metal mass fraction Z{sub env} values commonly 0.6-0.9, or ∼100-400+ times solar. The high mean molecular weight of such atmospheres (μ ≈ 5-12) would naturally help to flatten the transmission spectrum of most LMLD planets. The high metal abundance would also provide significant condensible material for cloud formation. It is known that the H/He abundance in Uranus and Neptune decreases with depth, and we show that atmospheric evaporation of LMLD planets could expose atmospheric layers with gradually higher Z{sub env}. However, values of Z{sub env} close to solar composition can also arise, so diversitymore » should be expected. Photochemically produced hazes, potentially due to methane photolysis, are another possibility for obscuring transmission spectra. Such hazes may not form above T{sub eq} of ∼800-1100 K, which is testable if such warm, otherwise low mean molecular weight atmospheres are stable against atmospheric evaporation. We find that available transmission data are consistent with relatively high mean molecular weight atmospheres for GJ 1214b and 'warm Neptune' GJ 436b. We examine future prospects for characterizing GJ 1214b with Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.« less

Authors:
;  [1];  [2];  [3]; ;  [4]
  1. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States)
  2. Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie, Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
  3. Department of Physics, Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA (United States)
  4. Space Science and Astrobiology Division, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22270967
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 775; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ABSORPTION SPECTRA; ASTRONOMY; ASTROPHYSICS; COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION; COSMOCHEMISTRY; DATA TRANSMISSION; ELEMENT ABUNDANCE; EVAPORATION; GALAXIES; HYDROGEN; METHANE; NEPTUNE PLANET; PHOTOCHEMISTRY; PHOTOLYSIS; SATELLITE ATMOSPHERES; SYNTHESIS; TELESCOPES; URANUS PLANET

Citation Formats

Fortney, Jonathan J., Nettelmann, Nadine, Mordasini, Christoph, Kempton, Eliza M.-R., Greene, Thomas P., and Zahnle, Kevin. A FRAMEWORK FOR CHARACTERIZING THE ATMOSPHERES OF LOW-MASS LOW-DENSITY TRANSITING PLANETS. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/775/1/80.
Fortney, Jonathan J., Nettelmann, Nadine, Mordasini, Christoph, Kempton, Eliza M.-R., Greene, Thomas P., & Zahnle, Kevin. A FRAMEWORK FOR CHARACTERIZING THE ATMOSPHERES OF LOW-MASS LOW-DENSITY TRANSITING PLANETS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/775/1/80
Fortney, Jonathan J., Nettelmann, Nadine, Mordasini, Christoph, Kempton, Eliza M.-R., Greene, Thomas P., and Zahnle, Kevin. 2013. "A FRAMEWORK FOR CHARACTERIZING THE ATMOSPHERES OF LOW-MASS LOW-DENSITY TRANSITING PLANETS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/775/1/80.
@article{osti_22270967,
title = {A FRAMEWORK FOR CHARACTERIZING THE ATMOSPHERES OF LOW-MASS LOW-DENSITY TRANSITING PLANETS},
author = {Fortney, Jonathan J. and Nettelmann, Nadine and Mordasini, Christoph and Kempton, Eliza M.-R. and Greene, Thomas P. and Zahnle, Kevin},
abstractNote = {We perform modeling investigations to aid in understanding the atmospheres and composition of small planets of ∼2-4 Earth radii, which are now known to be common in our Galaxy. GJ 1214b is a well-studied example whose atmospheric transmission spectrum has been observed by many investigators. Here we take a step back from GJ 1214b to investigate the role that planetary mass, composition, and temperature play in impacting the transmission spectra of these low-mass low-density (LMLD) planets. Under the assumption that these planets accrete modest hydrogen-dominated atmospheres and planetesimals, we use population synthesis models to show that predicted metal enrichments of the H/He envelope are high, with metal mass fraction Z{sub env} values commonly 0.6-0.9, or ∼100-400+ times solar. The high mean molecular weight of such atmospheres (μ ≈ 5-12) would naturally help to flatten the transmission spectrum of most LMLD planets. The high metal abundance would also provide significant condensible material for cloud formation. It is known that the H/He abundance in Uranus and Neptune decreases with depth, and we show that atmospheric evaporation of LMLD planets could expose atmospheric layers with gradually higher Z{sub env}. However, values of Z{sub env} close to solar composition can also arise, so diversity should be expected. Photochemically produced hazes, potentially due to methane photolysis, are another possibility for obscuring transmission spectra. Such hazes may not form above T{sub eq} of ∼800-1100 K, which is testable if such warm, otherwise low mean molecular weight atmospheres are stable against atmospheric evaporation. We find that available transmission data are consistent with relatively high mean molecular weight atmospheres for GJ 1214b and 'warm Neptune' GJ 436b. We examine future prospects for characterizing GJ 1214b with Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/775/1/80},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22270967}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal},
issn = {0004-637X},
number = 1,
volume = 775,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Fri Sep 20 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}