Flux and polarization signals of spatially inhomogeneous gaseous exoplanets

TL;DR

This paper numerically models the spectropolarimetric signals of inhomogeneous gaseous exoplanets, analyzing how features like belts, spots, and hazes affect observable flux and polarization signals.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive radiative transfer model that accounts for both vertical and horizontal inhomogeneities, including various atmospheric features, to predict exoplanet signals.

Findings

Inhomogeneous features leave detectable signatures in flux and polarization.

The model effectively incorporates multiple scattering and polarization effects.

Results help interpret observational data of gaseous exoplanets.

Abstract

We present numerically calculated, disk--integrated, spectropolarimetric signals of starlight that is reflected by vertically and horizontally inhomogeneous gaseous exoplanets. We include various spatial features that are present on Solar System's gaseous planets: belts and zones, cyclonic spots, and polar hazes, to test whether such features leave traces in the disk--integrated flux and polarization signals. Broadband flux and polarization signals of starlight that is reflected by gaseous exoplanets are calculated using an efficient, adding--doubling radiative transfer code, that fully includes single and multiple scattering and polarization. The planetary model atmospheres are vertically inhomogeneous and can be horizontally inhomogeneous, and contain gas molecules and/or cloud and/or aerosol particles.