Exoclimes_Conference_booklet1

abundances of molecules in the atmosphere has not yet been possible using only highresolution
observation due to degeneracies. We will discuss what other high-resolution
measurements can be performed with current instruments to obtain a better understanding
of the chemistry and dynamics of hot-Jupiter atmospheres. We will present results from
our sensitivity analysis of simulated CRIRES observations, showing at what wavelengths
particular molecules are best detected. We will also discuss whether molecules can be
detected from high-resolution thermal radiation from the night-side. We find that for some
planets the night-side might even yield a larger signal than the day-side.
2D mapping of the eccentric exoplanet HAT-P-2b!
Julien!de Wit — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The class of close-in gas giant planets known as hot Jupiters provides an exceptional
insight into atmospheric circulation, as these planets are expected to be both highly
irradiated and in either synchronous or pseudo-synchronous orbits depending on their
orbital eccentricity. We can probe atmospheric circulation through phase curve
measurements, which tell us about their brightness as a function of longitude. Recently, a
new observational tool, “eclipse mapping”, has been developed enabling the creation of
maps that are resolved in both longitude and latitude, unlike phase curves. To date, only
one planet (HD 189733b) has been successfully mapped using this technique. Here, we
present the first two-dimensional maps of the eccentric exoplanet HAT-P-2b in the Spitzer
4.5 micron bandpass. This map is derived from fourteen new secondary eclipses observed
in the 4.5 micron band.
The high eccentricity of HAT-P-2b leads to fundamental differences between its
atmospheric circulation and that of HD189733b. A high eccentricity prevents tidal locking
and implies time-variable stellar heating, hence time-variable forcing. HAT-P-2b is eclipsed
post-periastron, hence we use eclipse mapping to gain insights into how its atmosphere
responds to transient heating. In particular, HAT-P- 2b’s map will yield constraints on its
radiative and advective time-scales and probe the spatial extent of its dayside thermal
inversion. We will discuss the implication of our findings in the context of atmospheric
circulation models that can be applied to a wide range of planets.
Mapping Clouds in Exoplanet Atmospheres
Brice-Olivier Demory — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Clouds and hazes are ubiquitous in the solar system's giant planet and brown-dwarf
atmospheres. It has been long suggested that clouds would also play a strong role in
shaping the spectra of exoplanets in general and hot Jupiters in particular. Recently,
clouds have been reported in the atmosphere of HD189733b. We will present the first
results of a program aiming at detecting and characterizing clouds in hot-Jupiter
atmospheres. We use joint space-based visible+IR occultation and phase-curve
photometry to reconstruct low-resolution maps of thick clouds. We will discuss the possible
formation scenarios for these clouds and explore the degeneracies involved in the retrieval
of the particles properties (coverage, size distribution, vertical extent, composition, shape,
etc.). We will finally discuss how near-to-come space- and ground-based facilities will
contribute to the detailed characterization of these clouds.
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