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Register a new userVariable Irradiation on 1D Cloudless Eccentric Exoplanet Atmospheres
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Exoplanets on eccentric orbits experience an incident stellar flux that can be markedly larger at periastron versus apoastron. This variation in instellation can lead to dramatic changes in atmospheric structure in regions of the atmosphere where the radiative and advective heating/cooling timescales are shorter than the orbital timescale. To explore this phenomenon, we develop a sophisticated one-dimensional (vertical) time-stepping atmospheric structure code, EGP+, capable of simulating the dynamic response of atmospheric thermal and chemical structure to time-dependent perturbations. Critically, EGP+ can efficiently simulate multiple orbits of a planet, thereby providing new opportunities for exoplanet modeling without the need for more computationally-expensive models. We make the simplifying assumption of cloud-free atmospheres, and apply our model to HAT-P-2b, HD~17156b, and HD~80606b, which are known to be on higher-eccentricity orbits. We find that for those planets which have Spitzer observations, our planet-to-star ratio predictions are roughly consistent with observations. However, we are unable to reproduce the observed peak offsets from periastron passage. Finally, we discuss promising pathways forward for adding new model complexity that would enable more detailed studies of clear and cloudy eccentric planets as well as worlds orbiting active host stars.
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Relatively long-period nonsynchronized planets---such as warm Jupiters---potentially retain the primordial rotation, eccentricity, and obliquity that might encapsulate information on planetary climate and formation processes. To date, there has not been a systematic study on climate patterns on these planets that will significantly influence their observations. Here we investigate the atmospheric dynamics of nonsynchronized, fast-rotating exoplanets across various radiative timescales, eccentricities, and obliquities using a shallow water model. The dynamical pattern can be demarcated into five regimes in terms of radiative timescale $tau_{rm rad}$ and obliquity ${theta}$. An atmosphere with $tau_{rm rad}$ shorter than a planetary day usually exhibits a strong day--night temperature contrast and a day-to-night flow pattern. In the intermediate $tau_{rm rad}$ regime between a planetary day and a year, the atmosphere is dominated by steady temperature and eastward jet patterns for ${theta}$ < 18 deg but shows a strong seasonal variation for ${theta}$ > 18 deg because the polar region undergoes an intense heating at around the summer solstice. If $tau_{rm rad}$ is longer than a year, seasonal variation is very weak. In this regime, eastward jets are developed for ${theta}$ < 54 deg and westward jets are developed for ${theta}$ > 54 deg. These dynamical regimes are also applicable to the planets in eccentric orbits. The large effects of exoplanetary obliquities on circulation patterns might offer observational signatures, which will be investigated in Paper II of this study.
Observations of exoplanet atmospheres have shown that aerosols, like in the Solar System, are common across a variety of temperatures and planet types. The formation and distribution of these aerosols are inextricably intertwined with the composition and thermal structure of the atmosphere. At the same time, these aerosols also interfere with our probes of atmospheric composition and thermal structure, and thus a better understanding of aerosols lead to a better understanding of exoplanet atmospheres as a whole. Here we review the current state of knowledge of exoplanet aerosols as determined from observations, modeling, and laboratory experiments. Measurements of the transmission spectra, dayside emission, and phase curves of transiting exoplanets, as well as the emission spectrum and light curves of directly imaged exoplanets and brown dwarfs have shown that aerosols are distributed inhomogeneously in exoplanet atmospheres, with aerosol distributions varying significantly with planet equilibrium temperature and gravity. Parameterized and microphysical models predict that these aerosols are likely composed of oxidized minerals like silicates for the hottest exoplanets, while at lower temperatures the dominant aerosols may be composed of alkali salts and sulfides. Particles originating from photochemical processes are also likely at low temperatures, though their formation process is highly complex, as revealed by laboratory work. In the years to come, new ground- and space-based observatories will have the capability to assess the composition of exoplanet aerosols, while new modeling and laboratory efforts will improve upon our picture of aerosol formation and dynamics.
Thermal light-curve analysis is a powerful approach to probe the thermal structures of exoplanetary atmospheres, which are greatly influenced by the planetary obliquity and eccentricity. Here we investigate the thermal light curves of eccentric-tilted exoplanets across various radiative timescales, eccentricities, obliquities, and viewing geometries using results of shallow-water simulations presented in Ohno $&$ Zhang (2019). We also achieve an analytical theory of the thermal light curve that can explain general trends in the light curves of tilted exoplanets. For tilted planets in circular orbits, the orbital phase of the flux peak is largely controlled by either the flux from the hot spot projected onto the orbital plane or the pole heated at the summer solstice, depending on the radiative timescale $tau_{rm rad}$, planetary day $P_{rm orb}$, and obliquity $theta$. We find that tilted planets potentially produce the flux peak after the secondary eclipse when obliquity is $theta$ > 90 deg for the hot regime $tau_{rm rad}<P_{rm rot}$, or $theta>18$ deg for the cool regime ${tau}_{rm rad} > P_{rm rot}$. For tilted planets in eccentric orbits, the shape of the light curve is considerably influenced by the heating at the periapse. The flux peak occurring after the secondary eclipse can be used to distinguish tilted planets from nontilted planets when the periapse takes place before the secondary eclipse. Our results could help to constrain exoplanet obliquities in future observations.
Atmospheric modeling of low-gravity (VL-G) young brown dwarfs remains a challenge. The presence of very thick clouds has been suggested because of their extremely red near-infrared (NIR) spectra, but no cloud models provide a good fit to the data with a radius compatible with evolutionary models for these objects. We show that cloudless atmospheres assuming a temperature gradient reduction caused by fingering convection provides a very good model to match the observed VL-G NIR spectra. The sequence of extremely red colors in the NIR for atmospheres with effective temperature from ~2000 K down to ~1200 K is very well reproduced with predicted radii typical of young low-gravity objects. Future observations with NIRSPEC and MIRI on the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will provide more constrains in the mid-infrared, helping to confirm/refute whether or not the NIR reddening is caused by fingering convection. We suggest that the presence/absence of clouds will be directly determined by the silicate absorption features that can be observed with MIRI. JWST will therefore be able to better characterize the atmosphere of these hot young brown dwarfs and their low-gravity exoplanet analogues.
Clouds and hazes are commonplace in the atmospheres of solar system planets and are likely ubiquitous in the atmospheres of extrasolar planets as well. Clouds affect every aspect of a planetary atmosphere, from the transport of radiation, to atmospheric chemistry, to dynamics and they influence - if not control - aspects such as surface temperature and habitability. In this review we aim to provide an introduction to the role and properties of clouds in exoplanetary atmospheres. We consider the role clouds play in influencing the spectra of planets as well as their habitability and detectability. We briefly summarize how clouds are treated in terrestrial climate models and consider the far simpler approaches that have been taken so far to model exoplanet clouds, the evidence for which we also review. Since clouds play a major role in the atmospheres of certain classes of brown dwarfs we briefly discuss brown dwarf cloud modeling as well. We also review how the scattering and extinction efficiencies of cloud particles may be approximated in certain limiting cases of small and large particles in order to facilitate physical understanding. Since clouds play such important roles in planetary atmospheres, cloud modeling may well prove to be the limiting factor in our ability to interpret future observations of extrasolar planets.
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