Exoplanet Atmosphere Measurements from Transmission Spectroscopy and other Planet-Star Combined Light Observations

Abstract

It is possible to learn a great deal about exoplanet atmospheres even when we cannot spatially resolve the planets from their host stars. In this chapter, we overview the basic techniques used to characterize transiting exoplanets - transmission spectroscopy, emission and reflection spectroscopy, and full-orbit phase curve observations. We discuss practical considerations, including current and future observing facilities and best practices for measuring precise spectra. We also highlight major observational results on the chemistry, climate, and cloud properties of exoplanets.

Accepted review chapter; Handbook of Exoplanets, eds. Hans J. Deeg and Juan Antonio Belmonte (Springer-Verlag). 22 pages, 6 figures

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Cited by in corpus (23)

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• ACCESS & LRG-BEASTS: a precise new optical transmission spectrum of the ultrahot Jupiter WASP-103b
• Carbon monoxide emission lines reveal an inverted atmosphere in the ultra hot Jupiter WASP-33 b consistent with an eastward hot spot
• Exoplanet Spectroscopy with JWST NIRISS: Diagnostics and Case Studies
• In Search of the Edge: A Bayesian Exploration of the Detectability of Red Edges in Exoplanet Reflection Spectra
• Role of the impact parameter in exoplanet transmission spectroscopy
• Colour-magnitude diagrams of transiting Exoplanets -- III. A public code, nine strange planets, and the role of Phosphine
• ACCESS: An optical transmission spectrum of the high-gravity, hot Jupiter HAT-P-23b
• VaTEST I: Validation of Sub-Saturn Exoplanet TOI-181b in Narrow Orbit from its Host Star
• Stratospheric Clouds Do Not Impede JWST Transit Spectroscopy for Exoplanets with Earth-Like Atmospheres
• Science Commissioning of NIHTS: The Near-infrared High Throughput Spectrograph on the Lowell Discovery Telescope
• Possible Evidence for the Presence of Volatiles on the Warm Super-Earth TOI-270 b
• Search for radio emission from the exoplanets Qatar-1b and WASP-80b near 150 MHz using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope
• Geodynamics of super-Earth GJ 486b
• The role of cloud particle properties on WASP-39b transmission spectrum based on JWST/NIRSpec observations
• Fundamental Challenges to Remote Sensing of Exo-Earths
• Ground-Based Reconnaissance Observations of 21 Exoplanet Atmospheres with the Exoplanet Transmission Spectroscopy Imager
• Effect of clouds on emission spectra for Super Venus
• The effect of JWST/NIRSpec data reduction on the retrieval of WASP-39b atmospheric properties