Atmospheric composition and structure of HD209458b

Abstract

Transiting planets like HD209458b offer a unique opportunity to scrutinize their atmospheric composition and structure. Transit spectroscopy probes the transition region between the day and night sides, called limb. We present a re-analysis of existing archived HST/STIS transmission spectra of HD209458b's atmosphere. From these observations we: Identify H2 Rayleigh scattering, derive the absolute Sodium abundance and quantify its depletion in the upper atmosphere, extract a stratospheric T-P profile with a temperature inversion and explain broad band absorptions with the presence of TiO and VO molecules in the atmosphere of this planet.

4 pages, 2 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of the 253rd IAU Symposium: "Transiting Planets", May 2008, Cambridge, MA

References in corpus (8)

• Detection of Thermal Emission from an Extrasolar Planet
• Theoretical Spectral Models of the Planet HD 209458b with a Thermal Inversion and Water Emission Bands
• HST/STIS Optical Transit Transmission Spectra of the hot-Jupiter HD209458b
• Exoplanet HD 209458b : Evaporation strengthened
• New observations of the extended hydrogen exosphere of the extrasolar planet HD209458b
• Determining atmospheric conditions at the terminator of the hot-Jupiter HD209458b
• Rayleigh scattering by H2 in the extrasolar planet HD209458b
• Atmospheric composition and structure of HD209458b

Cited by in corpus (2)

• TiO and VO broad band absorption features in the optical spectrum of the atmosphere of the hot-Jupiter HD209458b
• Atmospheric composition and structure of HD209458b