Exoplanet Mapping Revealed

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development and analysis of infrared brightness maps of hot Jupiters, highlighting the formalism, models, and insights gained from phase variation observations.

Contribution

It introduces the formalism and models for exoplanet brightness mapping and analyzes their implications and differences.

Findings

First multi-waveband map of a hot Jupiter

Insights into atmospheric dynamics from brightness maps

Comparison of N-Slice and Sinusoidal models

Abstract

One of the most exciting results of the Spitzer era has been the ability to construct longitudinal brightness maps from the infrared phase variations of hot Jupiters. We presented the first such map in Knutson et al. (2007), described the mapping theory and some important consequences in Cowan & Agol (2008) and presented the first multi waveband map in Knutson et al. (2008). In these proceedings, we begin by putting these maps in historical context, then briefly describe the mapping formalism. We then summarize the differences between the complementary N-Slice and Sinusoidal models and end with some of the more important and surprising lessons to be learned from a careful analytic study of the mapping problem.